3 Gifts to
Give Your Children This Christmas
During the holiday
season, our children are inundated with magazine ads and TV commercials
depicting the newest, coolest toys and gadgets, all with the intention of
encouraging children to convince their parents that they absolutely must have
it. In the midst of all the commercialism, which seems to start earlier and
earlier with each passing year, the spirit of Christmas has lost its true
meaning, replaced by the spirit of the "gimmes."
The Heart of a
Child
In truth, none of us
are immune to the spirit of the "gimmes" however, children are particularly
vulnerable--which is exactly why advertisers go after them in the first place.
Proverbs 22:15 says that "foolishness is bound up in the heart of a child."
According to Ellicott's Commentary, what is meant in this verse is "self-will."
Ellicott states that "children must be taught to yield their will to others."
In other words, a child's natural inclination is to focus on themselves--what
they need, what they want, and when they want it, and to foolishly
[thoughtlessly, selfishly, unwisely] work to get it.
As parents, it is our
duty to "train up a child in the way he should go so that when he is old he will
not depart from it." Proverbs 22:6. I like how The Living Bible phrases this
verse, "teach a child to choose the right path, and when he is older, he will
remain upon it." Children, by nature, are prone to selfishness (aren't we
all?), and they need to be taught to be giving
and self-less.
This task of
instilling selflessness in your children may seem impossible, especially during
the Christmas season. Don't lose heart, it can be done. This year, give your
children three meaningful gifts.
3 Gifts You
Should Give Your Children This Christmas
There are three very
important gifts that you should give your child this Christmas--and every
Christmas. These gifts never lose their importance, they won't wear out, your
child cannot outgrow them, and they last forever. What are these gifts, you
ask?
1) The gift of a
giving heart
"It is more blessed to
give than to receive." Acts 20:35.
"Give, and it will be
given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over,
will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured
to you." Luke 6:38
The Bible talks a lot
about giving and sacrifice. In fact, the Father gave His only Son for us so
that we might be reconciled with the Father. Christ gave Himself up for us so
that we might have eternal life. Scripture teaches us that when we give, we
receive in return. The point of these promises isn't to give in order to get,
but to show us that by giving, we receive so much more in return. More than
earthly possessions, those who are givers reap contentment, pleasure and joy as
a result of their giving. When we teach our children to be givers, we teach
them to value the person who receives their gift, and to be grateful and content
with what they have. And, a grateful heart, is a happy heart.
Which leads right into
the next gift you should give your children for Christmas...
2) The gift of a
grateful heart
"Giving thanks always
and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ."
Ephesians 5:20
"Enter his gates with thanksgiving, and his courts
with praise! Give thanks to him; bless his name! For the Lord is good; his steadfast
love endures forever." Psalm 100:4-5
We all know children,
and adults, who whine and complain about everything, lacking gratefulness for
the blessings that they do have in their lives. Lack of gratitude breeds
discontent and bitterness. I am sure many of us have had to endure our children
whining and begging for candy or toy at the store, and have been tempted to give
into their demands in return for some peace for ourselves. The problem with
this is that by giving in, we train our children that such behavior leads to
self-gratification, and they don't have to opportunity to "learn to be content,"
as Paul says in Philippians 4:11. Contentment and gratitude are learned traits,
which means our children are not born with them, they must be taught. When we
teach our children to be thankful, we give them the gift of a grateful--and
content--heart, which means our children will always be satisfied and
fulfilled.
The last,
but certainly not least, of the gifts that we should give our children this
Christmas, is...
3) The gift of a
servant's heart
"Do not neglect to do
good and to share what you have, for such sacrifices are pleasing to God."
Hebrews 13:16
"As each has received a gift, use it to serve one
another, as good stewards of God's grace." 1 Peter 4:10
"Even as the Son of Man came not to be served but to
serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” Matthew 20:28
Teaching
our children to serve others, along with the other gifts, is teaching them the
very heart of Jesus Himself. He loved people and spent His life and ministry,
in service and sacrifice to others. As Christians, we are to be Christ's hands
and feet, going out to care for those in need. Our children learn so many
lessons when they serve another person in need. It may be bringing a cup of
juice to a sibling who is ill. Visiting the elderly in a nursing home. Color a
picture for a friend who is in the hospital. Help Mom cook a meal for someone
who is sick or a family who just lost a loved one. Write a thank you note to a
pastor or teacher. There are so many opportunities for our children to serve
others.
Really,
all these gifts are intertwined with each other. You simply cannot have one
without the other. What values and characteristics do you want to instill in
your children as they grow and mature into adulthood? Those who are truly
happy, content and fulfilled in life are those who learn to be givers and
servants, thankful for the bountiful blessings the Lord has given them. Other
than our salvation in Christ, these are the best gifts of all!
Crystal
Niehoff
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