Your Hand-me-down Present

Christmas is a warm time of light, food, atmosphere, and, for many, most importantly, presents. Those many we are talking about are usually the younger members of our family who gleefully await those wrapped goodies with their name on them under the Christmas tree.  But, I just discovered that some of those little ones have learned mighty lessons...

 On Sunday at church, it was not the word from the pastor, but the children who moved my heart. A group of youngsters at the front during the church service was answering questions from their Sunday school teacher.   One little girl, Ela, remarked that the presents we give others are ones that we have received ourselves.  We are passing them on.

Wow!

The Holy Spirit hit me like a truck with understanding.  How perfectly this little one has shared a great truth! 

We have received everything we 'own'.  When we share our bounty with another, we are in fact passing on the gift we ourselves received from our Heavenly Father.  And the giving goes on and on! Time and place do not limit that gift: freedom, food, faith, as well as the wealth we have acquired.

How different that makes our gifts! How thankful we can be that we are passing on the blessing HE has endowed us with.

And all this from the 'mouth of babes,' as the old KJV puts it. (Note to self:  Be sure and listen more to those kiddos!)

So there is another reason for rejoicing!  We are passing on the gift of God, with love, to others with even the smallest of our gifts and wishes!

"Thank you, great Father of all goodness, for the gifts you have given me and enabled me to share! Amen!"

Image generated by Gemini.