The Star - News, views and advertising of the Grand Coulee Dam Area

Christmas. The word brings a wonderful excitement to children all around the world. Visions of presents, Santa, hot chocolate and goodies galore dance between the temples of the little ones. Blinking lights, snowmen and reindeer flicker on the lens of the young minds as we pour into them the commercialism that has become Christmas. Debt, stress and the busiest of all months as we go from party to party, indulging in everything, is what we show and teach during this season. All in the name of, well, in the name of what, really?

It is a time of giving, and we do give. We give an overwhelming amount of gifts to our children, friends, coworkers and loved ones. But at what cost, and why really? Don’t get me wrong. I have lavished gifts upon my kids and wife. Even bought very special gifts for others, and it has made me feel real good too. But where does this all come from?

The word Christmas has that very special word in it. A powerful, faith-filled word: Christ, and that is the basis from long ago. We all know the narrative. A savior of the world, born in a manger, shepherds, wise men and animals all worshiping the gift to the world under a star. A gift that would die later, on a cross, taking with him all the sins of the world. Past and future. Three days later, the tomb would be empty because of the scriptures being fulfilled and a resurrection that would defeat a powerless enemy forever.

So the season is upon us. The season that we are to look upon giving as something to be done with vigor as our Savior did. A Father, powerful above anything else, gave his only Son to the world. To come, live, teach and die. In turn, that Father adopted into His inheritance all of us that have the faith to believe. Making us His step-children and equal heirs. Giving us hope, power and the Holy Spirit. What a gift. So when we give with vigor, sometimes we get a little confused and misdirected. We go overboard with tangible, fleeting gifts that we spoil upon people we love. But sometimes we forget.

We forget the real reason. We forget about the Christ in Christmas. Sometimes just being there. Just listening. There are those out there who have absolutely nothing; there are those fighting unfathomable health issues; there are those with heart-breaking addictions, with broken and unforgiving hearts, with economic hardships, searching souls. We need to reach out to those who don’t deserve our help. We did not deserve it so long ago. We did not deserve to be saved from our sins, but we were. A father so great and grand that he gave up what he loved most to be birthed into a cold and dangerous world, only to be crucified by it. But in that moment, His love for us had shown through the brightest. In a little town in Bethlehem, He gave us His Son.

Take a moment from your shopping, eating and singing, and lift a thank you up to the heavens. Then look for those placed in your path. Share the truth with them. Give them the greatest gift of all.