Let’s take a minute and consider the term “gift” and the gift giver.  After all, gift giving is an important aspect of the Christmas holidays, no matter whether you do it for secular or sacred reasons.

I was considering Christmas in light of a story that was shared in church a couple of weeks ago.  In the midst of the pondering, a piece of scripture came to mind.  It is Matthew 7:11 which says, “If you, then, though you are evil know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!”  First off, this is Jesus speaking.  Second, my immediate thought was, God is good!  That is right.  He is!  However, one can not get away from the contrast that Jesus is making here, which is ‘us’ and God.  We are, by nature evil, and God is by nature good, meaning we are more like the Stalin’s and Mussolini’s of the world than we are like God.  Obviously, the focus of this verse is not us but God.  He does this to illuminate the reality that God is good beyond all measure.  The proof of this reality was being played out in that very moment.  The One whose very words spoke this truth, was God incarnate, Jesus Christ, the son of God.  He was sent to ransom men/women back to God.  While in our evilness and running from God, he chased us down, calling out “Here I am, standing at your door that any who hear my voice and let me in, I will come in and dine with him and he with Me.”  So, Jesus, the gift of grace, is the greatest gift ever given.

So, during the next couple of days, if you have time, would you take time to ponder Matthew 7:11 in light of Christmas?

Merry Christmas!