“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life” John 3:16. There’s a lot of talk about giving this month. Even the retail stores, who have separated themselves from the reason for the season, have not moved away from this concept. It is a time to give to everyone on your list and “we’re only here to help you with this task … ‘cause we have better sales!” But, the reason so many Millennials are abandoning Christmas for Halloween as the biggest holiday is because when the “good news of great joy” is cut off, crass commercialism and greed are not enough reason to sustain it. Giving to others only makes sense to an increasingly selfish world when it realizes that God gave first … and the most. God’s giving was His Son on the cross, began when the second person of the Godhead was made like His brothers in every way, but was planned before the creation of the world. The expression is true: “we can’t out-give God.” But do we try? Truly understanding and appreciating His gift is the first step for us to pull our focus from our self-absorbtion and give to others from gratitude to Him. Do you give like God?
Doug Kashorek
Plattsburgh church of Christ
Plattsburgh, NY