What does the Bible say about giving gifts at Christmas?
Giving gifts at Christmas dates back to the gift-giving of the Magi, who were the Magi who gave gifts to Jesus when he was born. They were led by the holy spirit to follow the eastern star to Bethlehem to become witnesses to the birth of Jesus. And when they saw him, they worshiped him and gave him gifts. Because Matthew 2: 10-11 says: “Upon arriving at the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they fell down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and gave him gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh.” Although we have This writing to support our Christmas gift giving, the tradition of gift giving has gotten out of hand. We all probably agree that buying gifts for loved ones and friends has caused us a lot of financial trouble.
We tend to overextend ourselves because we want to make great impressions and make ourselves look good in their eyes. We get up at 3:00 am to be the first to line up at retail stores on “Black Friday” to battle with others for the best deals. It’s okay to want to save money on our donations, but God never intended for these things to happen. When the wise men gave gifts to Jesus, it was because he was our Lord and Savior that he came into the world to save us. Not because they wanted to impress others. So what does the Bible say about giving gifts?
We must give gifts to glorify God. Matthew 6: 1-4 says: “Be careful not to do your” acts of justice “in front of men, to be seen by them. If you do, you will have no reward from your Father who is in heaven. announce it with trumpets, as hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, to be honored by men. Truly, I tell them they have already received their full reward. let your left hand not know what your right is doing, so let your offering be in secret. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. ” This scripture should apply to our offerings this Christmas, because we must give from our hearts and not to show. We must be sure to teach our children the joy of giving and not always receiving. And we shouldn’t give just to get something in return, because God will reward us with more blessings than we can count, on earth and in heaven.
We should also give gifts in rare or bad times. In 2 Corinthians 8: 7-9, Paul spoke to the churches that were giving him financial gifts so that he could continue ministering about Jesus. “But just as he excels in everything – in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in total sincerity and in his love for us – see that he also excels in this grace of giving. I am not commanding you, but I want to try the sincerity of your love comparing it with the sincerity of others, because you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, who although he was rich, became poor for you, so that you, by his poverty, become rich. ” Some of us may be facing serious financial problems, we can still give to others, giving of our time, volunteering, helping, praying for someone in time of need or simply being a friend. We can do these things not only at Christmas, but throughout the year.
And finally, the true gift of Christmas is Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior. Our society has moved away from celebrating the true reason for Christmas. Some of us believe that Santa Claus, Christmas trees, gifts, and food and alcohol are the real reasons for this day. We give the world all the glory and praise and keep Jesus Christ out of the equation. God gave us his only begotten son, Jesus, the gift of life! Because John 3:16 says: “For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish, but have eternal life.” This is the greatest gift, which is the gift of salvation, that only God can give. If we are sure to keep Christ at Christmas at all times, then when we give to others, it will become a natural expression of that gratitude throughout the year. Because James 1:17 says: “Every good and perfect gift is from on high that comes down from the Father of heavenly lights …” Merry Christmas!