Regifting

 When our children were very small, my husband had the cute idea for them to go shopping for other family members to buy Christmas gifts. The catch was that they had to use “their own money” he told me. 

“Where will they get their own money?” I asked. He said “by doing jobs for the family members and I’ll pay them”. 

So off they went to Ma Creamers (their great grandma), Aunt Marsha’s and Uncle Joey’s (their great aunt and uncle) and Nana & Papa’s homes. The kids were maybe 6 and 4 years old at the time so they did little things like dust, rake leaves, and other menial task. Of course, their daddy paid them, but the family members “tipped” generously, I was told.

Their dad wanted them to learn the value of a dollar and the joy of using that earned money on others. Our time is money so where our money goes really does show where our heart is.

 

The kids took their earnings to the finest department store known to youngsters: The Dollar Store. There they each picked out random gifts for the people they’d just worked for. The jobs they did really didn’t merit the money they made but their cute little faces brought joy to the givers, who would soon be the receivers. Receives of  things like packs of hangers, candles, and flashlights. Things a 6 and 4 year old thought grown ups really wanted.

As I’ve thought about this story, I have realized, we like my children, have received everything from our heavenly father. Every good and perfect gift is from Him and we are lavished far beyond what we deserve and then we take our gifts, whether tangible dollars or physical time, or heart grown talents, and we regift them back to our Father, in worship. It’s almost like we are regifting!

Even the original gift givers, the Magi, were regifting when they brought their earthly, priceless gifts to the Christ child. The one they were gifting the gold to had made the very elements within the earth with just the Words of His mouth. 

“When they saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy. After coming into the house they saw the Child with Mary His mother; and they fell to the ground and worshiped Him. Then, opening their treasures, they presented to Him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.” Matthew‬ ‭2:10-11‬ ‭

We think we have it all together as adults and have so much to give, but in reality we are just little children, leaning on our good Father to provide. He does provide, generously beyond what we ask or think. He gives us His salvation, peace, hope, and the promise of a future. In return we do our best to worship and we offer our tiny gifts of praise and He loves it. God inhabits the praise of His people.(Psalm 22:3 KJV)

So be encouraged this Christmas, it’s ok to regift, when it’s a gift of praise and worship coming from your child like heart of faith.

-Melissa Pyle