My son made a comment to one of his grandparents: “if I get another gift, I won’t fit in my room!” And the idiot dad that I am said: “Oh yea! Well, I can take them all back!” LOL
Now that we’ve had a chance to open all of our presents and spend some time with them: it’s time to make some decisions. Which ones will go and which will stay.
Gift returns: it’s the American way!
We look at our gifts – even the gifts we asked for – and learn they aren’t quite what we like or wanted. Those clothes don’t fit right. That perfume doesn’t smell right. Her album ain’t as hot as you thought.
Sometimes we know right away: the minute you open a gift you make that stink-face! Sometimes it takes a few days: the gift seems cool at first, but it soon loses your interest. In either case, there’s a way out…gift returns!
Gift returns are such a part of our culture that most gifts come with a gift receipt. And, the ones that don’t can still be returned – even if to the wrong store. No matter how great the gift, if it doesn’t conform to your liking, a gift return is in order.
Yet the greatest gift ever given, was given to us by God over 2000 years ago. The Word of God became man in order to save us from our sins and teach us to save ourselves from judgment. And like Ricky Bobby from Talladega Nights, we all like the baby version best and love to think of an “Eight Pound, Six Ounce, Newborn Baby Jesus, in…golden, fleece diapers, with…curled-up, fat, balled-up little fists pawin’ at the air…”
When Baby Jesus becomes an adult, telling us how to live – we don’t like Him so much anymore. We don’t want Him telling us to give up our sinful ways. We don’t want Him telling us to give to the poor. We don’t want Him telling us to repent now because there’s no repentance at the Second Coming.
We gotta get rid of that Jesus! There’s always gift returns! So, we take that Greatest Gift ever given back to the store…hoping for a less radical “savior”…one who’ll allow us to continue being who we’ve always been.
Yet, the True Light has come to show us the Way! And the Way is full of awesome wonder! It might be uncomfortable at first, but begins to fit like a glove if you keep it on.
So don’t use gift returns to get rid of the True Jesus! This Christmas, let us endeavor to keep the Word of God as He is given…not as we want Him to be. Look at Who He Is, according to Scripture…then it’ll become clear. I’ve outlined a few things from Scripture that I’d like you to pay attention to. So, grab your pens, pencils, paper and Bibles and let’s get to it!
