Progressive groups and individuals have one thing in common. They all pause and evaluate their practices, policies and principles. During our review of Christmas this morning, Jesus, though not shocked, expressed surprise in the area of Christian’s attitude to “Christmas gifts.” In his unique parabolic rhetorical sense, he asked, “Imagine, you attended a friend’s birthday and all the participants bought and gave gifts to themselves during the ceremony but little or nothing for the celebrant. How would you feel, if you were the celebrant?” This question sounds simple but deep for the serious minds. Drawing from the first Christmas story, we learned how, what, why and to whom should we give gifts at Christmas? The wise men and the shepherds gave their gifts to Jesus not to their family members, friends or others. I am not saying that sharing with friends or family members is wrong but there is always a good practice and its opposite in every matter under the sun. Isn’t it?

I could still remember the Bible passage that taught me great wisdom, “Any person who knows what is right to do but does not do it, to him it is sin” (James 4:17). Hmmmm, so why not choose to be different. Some of you might be asking then how would one give Jesus Christmas gifts in our day and time? Although there is not straight forward answer to this but suffice it to say that each of us has unlimited opportunities in life to give Christ our best. You can give Jesus gifts, even today, in many ways, but the following had proven useful right from the first Christmas:
1. Be bold and make up your mind to believe God and obey his word like the Shepherds and Wise men did immediately.
2. You can surprise Jesus and his followers at Christmas by opening up your heart and making up your mind to be Jesus’ intimate friend and follower –this may make your facebook friendship with others and Twitter followership useful and prosperous eternally.
3. You can create sufficient time to reflect and discuss life issues in the context of God’s plan for your life and how you too can be a blessing to the nations.
4. You could spend quality time in praying for those who do not know about Jesus enough to make quality decision like the Prophetess Anna did in the Temple until Jesus was born (Lk 2:36-38).
5. You could reach out to the poor around you and afar too.
6. You could witness your faith to your friends, colleagues and family members who may not know Jesus nor believe in him.
7. You could sponsor a missionary or missionary projects at home or and abroad, which would advance the kingdom of God.
8. You could answer the call to be a missionary with Jesus at home and abroad too.

This list could continue without end, but all these might be summed up as deciding to live a life that pleases and glorifies God in this present world and you will never regret throughout eternity. The good news however, is that all the above mentioned gifts and more could be given any time, any day, anywhere by any man or woman, young and old people alike. In case, God has been speaking to you in any of these areas and you are having difficulties or you do not understand, or have questions in any of the points above, please feel free to contact me.

My prayer is, Lord, teach us how to give good gifts too. Please take my life and let it be consecrated unto you today and always.