“Nothing! Absolutely nothing!” Those were my thoughts as I threw the thick stack of Black Friday ads in the magazine rack. As my mama and I finished looking through Black Friday ads after Thanksgiving dinner this year, we both agreed that there was nothing we saw that was worth getting up at 2 a.m. to go get. I agree with my daddy who wisely said a few years ago, “If it’s meant for me to have, it’ll be there when I get to the store at 4 in the afternoon.”
Between Black Friday bargains and Cyber Monday discounts, many of you may have completed your Christmas shopping by Dec. 1. Some of you may be waiting until closer to Christmas to finish hoping that there will be greater discounts on that special gift. Whatever category you fall into, be sure not to leave the most important person off of your Christmas gift list: Jesus. Christmas is the only birthday that I can think of where people give themselves and others gifts and forget to get the real “birthday” honoree a present.
If you had a chance to give Jesus a gift this Christmas, what would it be? It is easy to say, “Happy Birthday, Jesus,” but what gift are you going to give Him this year? Are you going to give Him the same ungrateful attitude or will you give Him a gracious heart? Proverbs 18:16 reads, “A gift opens the way and ushers the giver into the presence of the great.” We are ushered into His presence when we decide to give totally ourselves to Him.
I’ve heard the question of what to give Jesus posed more than once over the last few weeks. Giving him your life is always a good gift. If you’ve already given him that, here are a few other suggestions.
1. Now that you’ve made Him Savior, let Him be Lord over your life.
2. Give Him a pure heart that is open to his will and His purpose.
3. Give Him honest words that speak the truth in love as we would want others to speak to us.
4. Give Him a fervent commitment to live with integrity regardless of the circumstances.
Unlike people that we work with who we don’t like that we get gifts for, you can’t pick up a last-minute gift at Dollar General with the attitude that Jesus should be glad I’m getting Him something.
Also, you can’t really get Him a gift card that allows Him to purchase what He wants from the store of His choice….He does own the cattle on a thousand hills. I can’t think of any gift card that can match that!
Others may want the perfect gift…Jesus just wants the gift that’s willing to be perfected. Make the right choice this year: completely give yourself to Him.
Shewanda Riley is the author of the Essence best-seller “Love Hangover: Moving From Pain to Purpose after a Relationship ends.” She can be reached at lovehangover@juno.com or by visiting www.shewandariley.com.
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