The authors of 31 Ways to be a “One-Another” Christian have provided a vital insight for gift giving this Christmas season. Do your gifts show that you care from your heart or do your gifts represent attempts to make others appreciate you? We tend to give gifts based on how much money we have to spend. However, by focusing on caring for one-another the funding that matters is that largeness of your heart. Listen to this distinction from the eighth way to be a One-Another Christian:
Caring for one another is not just having an affectionate feeling toward another believer. Caring is not merely an emotional feeling, just as love is not merely a feeling. Both care and love are actions. One’s care of another must be displayed by specific actions.
This means true Christmas gifts are much more than what can be purchased and wrapped. Caring from the heart also means investing your time and love in ways that can’t be measured by the values of Black Friday. A good place to begin giving gifts that care is with your family and your church. Follow this practical and potentially life-changing challenge from the book:
Look through your church directory and make a note of specific individuals for whom you have neglected to care. Or maybe you have neglected to care for your roommate, spouse, children, parents, small-group member or some other person. Do you notice a pattern in whom you care for and whom you do not care for? If so, confess and repent of your lack of care for others as emphasized in the “one another” passages of Scripture. Note specific acts you can do for those whom you have neglected to show care. Be specific and write down a time and place to act with care. There is always some way you can practically care for others.
You can begin gifting and caring today, no need to wait for the 25th!