Hey Gang: In our
affluent country have we lost the sensitivity, or true meaning of receiving a
gift? We learned very early, in our work with dependent – neglect
children, that to receive a gift was almost an embarrassment. They had
been taught by experience that they were not worth much and, therefore, did not
deserve a gift.
Several years ago I
watched one of my grandkids open his Christmas packages and noticed it took
prodding by the parent to keep him focused on opening the various
packages. His real interest was not in opening the gifts, but in playing
with the wrappings and boxes and running to and fro visiting with all of the
family members who were there.
I have learned,
through my years on this earth, that the importance of Christmas is not the
time of giving material gifts but a time of showing our appreciation and love
for those we chose to honor with a gift. Listening to our kids
reminisce about Christmas’s past is always a warm feeling; seems it is not the
material gifts received, that is the focus of the conversations, but the things
we did in the giving of those gifts that was important.
Jesus said, “Greater love hath no man than this,..” By these words our Lord
shows, how far love to another should extend, even to the laying down of our
lives for the brethren - which is the highest instance of love among men.
Did he mean that we have to give up our life in a literal sense?
Possibly, but I sense it went far deeper than that. It is a ‘hello’ to
the handicapped person, who pushes the carts at the super market, or a few
extra cents in the Salvation bucket to help someone less fortunate.
Soooo, my
young friends, it is time to close this morning thought, get back to my
workshop and finish the wooden trucks and trains that I pray will end up in the
hands of little people who need to know that someone really cares enough for
them to give a little chunk of their life.
Blessings,
Gramps
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