By Megan Blansit
Founder of The Beautiful Movement - a youth ministry for high school girls. For more information, visit The Beautiful Movement’s Facebook page, where I post the time, place, and activity for each month
Does anyone love giving gifts to others?! I sure do! Gift wrap, boxes, tape, the gift(s), bows, scissors…. there is a preparation to make the “perfect” gift, right? However, I hate to break it to those who spend hours wrapping gifts- it’s not about what’s on the paper or what kind of bow that the gift box gets, its about what’s inside! For example, we probably don’t remember the wrapping paper that our boyfriend/girlfriend or husband/wife used last year. I bet that you certainly remember what was under the paper though!
This could parallel with our personal lives. People may not remember what outfit you wore 2 weeks ago (whats on the outside) but I can almost bet they remember how you treated them or how you made them feel. These feelings could be good or bad. For example, are we guilty of snapping at the cashier at McDonald’s because he/she got our order wrong or do we take a breathe and say something nice like, “It’s okay, you guys seem very busy today…. you have a great day.” It’s amazing how much power we have in our words; we actually have the power to set the mood for someone else. I’ve had people speak positivity into my life (aka warm fuzzies) and I still to this day remember that when I see those people. They’ve made an impact and whether we realize it or not, we are all making impacts on people, daily. It’s in our hands if it’s a positive or a negative one.
Our life is a gift. We “decorate” ourselves everyday and if you are like me, you may do a lot of “preparation.” This girl loves her hair products and makeup! But, I am also aware that my heart needs just as much preparation; as I mentioned earlier, its what’s inside the gift box that really matters. I can completely tell a difference with my attitude and how I treat others when I am reading God’s Word verses when I do not spend time with Him. My main prayer each week is that people would see Christ in me; I want to love others like He does.
I challenge you, friend, to focus less on the “wrapping paper “and focus on the gift you are giving. By gift I mean love, patience, kindness, self-control, etc. I also challenge you to take a step back and examine the “gifts” you have already given this week. When people look at us do they focus more on the outside or are they amazed by the love we are showing towards them? Remember, we all mess up, no one is perfect. You are never a failure until you quit trying!
In closing, I am reminded of the song, “Mary Did You Know.” I wonder if Mary realized the gift she was about to receive and do we, as Christians, realize the gift we have already been given- God sending his son to die for us. This is a great time to reflect on the perfect gift that God has given us; He’s a good good Father. As horrific as the crucifixion was, I truly believe Christ would do it all over again if he had to. Why? Because He loves us THAT MUCH! Have a Merry Christmas!
