Let’s Go Shopping

Here we are, right in the middle of the Christmas Season, which we should really rename the “Shopping Season”, and we are fretting over what to buy that person who already has everything. We have to get them something,because that is the right thing to do. We love them, so we have to go buy them a gift. Isn’t that how they know that we love them? We are VERY materialistic. We have been for a long, long time. Nothing has really changed. Belshazzar, the King of Assyria during Daniel’s time, was the same way. He was so tied to “stuff” that he worshiped the “gods of silver, gold, wood, iron, and stone.” All of the “stuff” that he collected only brought him disappointment which led to his death. I wonder if that hard to buy for person on our list wouldn’t appreciate a loving act instead of a loving store bought gift. Maybe they have enough “stuff” and just need a few moments of our time, maybe just a visit would do. Perhaps we need permission to stop thinking that we have to “buy” someone something in order to tell them we love them. That is the kind of love that will not last. I’ll bet that “hard to buy for person” can’t tell us what we gave them last year, but they can tell us the last time we spent some time with them. When we give “stuff” to make ourselves feel better, we are in essence worshiping the gods of stuff and encouraging others to do the same. I’m not saying to stop giving gifts. I’m saying to start giving gifts that come from the heart. Give gifts that truly say “I love you”; give gifts that enable them to see the love of God through us. Now, go shop! Blessings