The Irony of the Gift(s)

I would be lying if I told you that the incandescent glow bouncing off the packages under our Christmas tree didn't make me feel all warm and fuzzy inside.  Who doesn't like getting a present?  Who doesn't like giving a present?  A two-second glance can immediately take me back to my four-year old perspective of running out of my room in McLouth, Kansas on Christmas morning in my one-piece jammies with footies built in to see the spread of boxes and stockings.  A child's wonderland.

After initially banning giving gifts because of the act's pagan origins, the church began to recognize and support the act because of the symbolism of the gifts of the Magi (who despite popular Christmas carols and nativity scenes were not present at the birth of Jesus).  Since the act of the Magi is where most people associate the tradition, I have been reflecting a lot on that act, and what significance, if any, the act of gift giving has today.

The Magi embarked on an elongated journey to bring the gifts to place at the feet of Jesus.  The gifts, and the act, were appropriate conduct for presentation to a King.  The magi didn't give any gifts to each other except maybe an annoying song or two along the journey or some other type of bad-travel-friend-idiosyncrasy.  They labored so that they could give their gifts to the King.  Can we?

Simply put, yes.  "For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.  Then the righteous will answer him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? And when did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? And when did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?’ And the King will answer them, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me."  Matthew 25:35-40.

When we help the poor, the hungry, the thirsty, the sick, we lay our gifts at the throne of the King. 

Final thought - I'm not advocating for a ban of presents at Christmas.  To do so would cause an international rebellion of all four-year olds (likely lead by my kids) who hear of this blog to riot outside my house.  I bought gifts.  I will give and receive gifts this weekend.  There is nothing wrong with that.  I just hope that that part of Christmas is minor in comparison to the gifts I lay at the throne of the King. 

Merry Christmas everyone.