The Gift We Need Most

“What do you want for Christmas?” Most of us can remember being asked this from the time we learned to talk. And we constantly ask significant others in our life the same question because we want to give them something they really want. But as Christmas is almost upon us, I find myself wondering if what we want is always the best gift we can receive.

This thought got triggered in my mind a few days ago when I was talking with one of the staff members at our church. We were comparing Christmas stories from childhood, and she related: “You know, I was always sneaking under the tree to feel my packages and try to figure out what they were. I wanted to identify the package that felt like the toy I most wanted for Christmas. It was deeply satisfying knowing it was waiting for me under the tree. But I never needed to guess what the soft squishy package from Grandma was because I knew it would be pajamas or a bathrobe or maybe a hand-knit sweater.

“It was always the same every Christmas. Grandma would find out what clothes we needed and give us those for Christmas. How boring! But now in retrospect I realize that the gift I needed most, I valued the least. For you see, long after that special toy had lost its fascination and sat gathering dust on the shelf, I was still wearing those pajamas every night, enjoying their warmth and comfort. As a child, I never realized how valuable Grandma’s gift was.”

I wonder if we realize that Christmas is really a celebration of the time when God gave us the gift we need most: a baby born in humble circumstances. It wasn't an exciting gift or even a particularly unique gift, for multitudes of babies are born every day. And for 30 years following His birth, Jesus lived an ordinary life, indistinguishable from any other person. During that time no one recognized Him as God's greatest gift.

When He began His public ministry, Jesus attracted crowds because He did offer them things they wanted: healing, deliverance, food. He stirred within them the hope that He was what they most wanted—the promised victorious Messiah who would restore the kingdom of Israel! Fueled by this hope, they welcomed Him as King in a triumphant entry into Jerusalem. Yet less than a week later, many of the same people were screaming, “Crucify Him!”

Why the sudden change? They discovered that He wasn't going to give them what they wanted, but what they needed most and they didn't value that.

Abba God still comes to us at Christmas and offers us the gift we need most, Jesus Christ and reconciliation to the Father through Him. Jesus proclaimed the gift when He stated, “I have come to give you total, abundant life” (John 10:10b). He longs to give us far above anything we could think or ask, the most precious gift of all: a life of intimate relationship with Him.

I hope as you think about Christmas this year, instead of asking, “What gift do I want the most?” you will ask yourself, “What gift do I need the most?” Open your heart and let Jesus give you the best gift of all!