Years ago as Christmas approached, our daughter and I sat down to figure out the family gift list. I don’t know why it was usually left up to us to decide who gave what to whom, but that’s how it was in our family. We came to the conclusion that none of us had everything we wanted, but all of us had everything we needed. The one thing we were all short on was time with each other. That year we decided to try an experiment and give each other time, not things. This necessitated some creative brainstorming and asking God for good ideas.
“Maybe the boys would enjoy tickets to the basketball game together,” Judy suggested. “Perhaps you and I could go to a pretty Victorian tea shop and have English tea and a good talk together,” I proposed.
Not all things we came up with cost money either. Judy gave her dad and herself a run in a charity race—something they had to train for and therefore spend precious moments with each other. One way or another that Christmas we managed to give each other the priceless gift of time.
After all, Jesus came that first Christmas night to give us His time, thirty-three years of it, to be precise. What a gift! I’m so glad He didn’t bring earthly gifts with Him. Those are things that would only last a short time—treasures that moth and rust would undoubtedly corrupt, and where thieves could break in and steal.
This Christmas we may not have a lot of riches as the world sees it, but in giving ourselves to each other without reservation, as Jesus did when He came to earth, we can all know wealth beyond this poor world might have to offer!
Why don’t you take a few minutes and think about how you can gift of time instead of things to the people you love this Christmas. There’s no better gift than the gift of your time!
Dear Lord, in this busy Christmas season, may we take time to be still and be nourished in our spirits. May Christ be born and live powerfully in our lives, and may it be evident to all that the Holy Spirit has given birth to something powerful, attractive, compelling, and true in us. Amen.
In Christ,
Jill Briscoe
This time of year, you may want to preserve family traditions and make great memories for your family. But to achieve that, do you hold yourself to an impossible standard of perfection? Take a breath, relax, and find fresh perspective that will help you find joy even in your less-than-perfect celebrations. May these devotions on celebrating Christmas help you understand and appreciate the true reason for the season - the greatest gift of all, Jesus Christ!