Photo by Kari Shea
Are you going to do it again? December 25 has flown by, and there it still sits, neatly wrapped. The greatest gift given – the greatest gift you received this Christmas, and you’re going to leave it all wrapped up? For another year… again???
I get it. You think you know what it is. You’ve eyed it up. You’ve shaken it. It’s the same size and shape that others opened from the same Giver, so you know what it is. You’re fine with others making a big deal about it. That doesn’t bother you. You just don’t need it.
“Merry Christmas!” doesn’t offend you. “Keep Christ in Christmas” bumper stickers don’t make your skin crawl. You don’t get all worked up about the nativity on display or whether they call it a Christmas tree or a holiday tree. It’s just not for you.
But what if it is?
What if your assumptions about that gift differ from reality? What if past bad experiences you’ve had with hypocrites who ridiculed you for your disinterest or indifference were not an accurate reflection of the gift itself, but were just poor examples misrepresenting it? What if the only thing keeping you from benefiting from this gift is your own arrogance? Ignorance? Intelligence?
What if in this gift you actually found the fulfillment you haven’t been able to find anywhere else in your life? What if it provided purpose? What if it enriched your relationships and satisfied the contentment you crave? What if, in this gift, you would finally have happiness – genuine, lasting happiness, that didn’t waver based on your achievements or failures? What if it put you at peace?
You’ll never know if you continue to leave that gift wrapped up.
Unwrap it this year. Explore and experience how and why so many stake their whole lives on Jesus, the one thing that matters.