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Ribbons and wrapping paper, shimmering Christmas trees, and children with sparkling eyes are the hallmarks of the “season of giving.” So many of us enjoy the holiday as a time of expressing love through the imparting of gifts. But did you ever consider when giving may be wrong?
Our heavenly Father is certainly a giver of good gifts (James 1:17). In fact, Jesus says if we ask, we will receive (Matt. 7:7-11) because our Father is good! So we definitely want to imitate Him in our willingness to give.
However, the Bible also shows us there are some things God will not give us, even if we ask. For instance, if we ask something of God out of selfishness (James 4:3), or ask for something against His will (1 John 5:14), we cannot expect to receive the subject of our request. This is because God is not going to give His children something that will do them spiritual harm. Remember, He gives good gifts!
As imitators of God, we have to realize that giving may be wrong if it presents a stumbling block to someone. For instance, giving a person who abuses alcohol or drugs a gift of cash could be a bad choice. Or perhaps video games and electronic devices may be a bad selection if it isolates children and dominates their free time.
So this Christmas season, and on every other occasion, let us consider our gifts carefully. Is there any way our gifts could cause spiritual harm? If so, let us seek a different, more thoughtful gift!
Matt Clifton
Judsonia church of Christ
Judsonia, AR