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The Perfect Christmas Gift

by Angelo Faleiro  
11/20/2008 / Christian Living

Christmas is an embarrassing time for me. As I am not very good in choosing gifts to other people, I struggle to do my best. But once I made it right when I bought a waterproof watch to my father. At that time I had a terrible salary, but as it was what he wanted and the store divided the value in several payments, it was worth. He liked it so much that ten years later he still uses the very same watch.

That day, I learnt an important lesson: people love to receive gifts they most want. Thus, I found out why I've always had problems in giving gifts: how I can know for sure what people most want?

This question was in my mind for some time. People are always desiring something: clothes, toys, flowers, chocolate, ipods and up to watches! In fact, their wishes can even change from a second to another!

With my way of finding solutions to the problems and of not risking to make wrong choices anymore, I began thinking about a perfect gift. Something that anyone in the world would like receiving, from a hungry child in the Brazilian Northeast up to a sheikh in the Middle East.

In the beginning, I thought about cash. I myself would like receiving 1 million dollars. But what difference would this amount do for a sheikh in Dubai who does not even know where to spend his money anymore? Then I thought about food. But again the rich men made my hypothesis invalid. What do people most want in life and cannot give it to themselves? That would be the perfect present.

Then, when I had almost given up my idea of finding such a present that would make anyone smile when receiving it, I came across with some words of the apostle John: "This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers." [I John 3.16].

It was strange recognizing that I had just found the perfect gift: love. It seems sentimental, I know, but love would do great difference in the life of the hungry child and of the rich sheikh in Dubai.

I know; it is impossible to hold love in hands. Imagine go to a store to buy it! But John teaches me how to give love: giving my life for someone. Loving is to donate myself, to surrender, to serve someone with sincerity of heart. Giving my life does not mean that I will necessarily die for somebody. Giving my life implies donating my time, my resources and energy so that someone can live happier.

My search for the perfect gift had ended. When I love people, I put a smile in their faces and give them what they most look for. When I love people, I can introduce them to Jesus who surrendered at the cross for love so that they finally can find the meaning of their lives.

People are more sensible and heart-opened at Christmas time. I think that it is because at this time we remember the one who loved us in a perfect way. People anxiously look for love during their whole lives, and as Christmas exhales this feeling, they let themselves freer to express it at this Holiday. That's why we associate Christmas with family and friends joined around a full table we want, above all, to love and to be loved. Thus, the biggest gift I can give someone is my love for them.

I know that clothes, chocolates and everything else are ways to show my love. But this Christmas I will innovate: with the traditional gifts (My God, help me not to miss again!) I will add something more. I will go to a store, buy small paper boxes and put inside them a reminder where it will be written:

"I am sorry if I didn't choose the gift you wanted, and then I don't want to commit two mistakes in the same day and let to tell you something very important. Today we are happy with the birth of Jesus who loved this world so much to the point of giving his life for it, teaching us that love is surrendering. Then, I'd like to say that I love you and that I am ready to donate my time, my resources and my energy for you to live happier. Merry Christmas!"

Angelo Faleiro writes for fun. He likes to think about christian life and our day-by-day, so he is always writing about matters people like to talk about. He graduatted in Psychology in 2005, is married and father of a boy. Email: [email protected]. Follow me @angelofaleiro.

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