The Blessing of Giving

A typical question after Christmas, especially for younger people, is “What did you get for Christmas?” People also often ask, “Did you have a good Christmas?” This typically means, “Did you get what you wanted?” One rarely hears, “What did you give for Christmas?” The answer to this question may appear as bragging or boasting, but not necessarily. Even if others don’t answer this question, we should answer it for ourselves. “What did I give for Christmas?” “Was I more focused on what I would get than what I would give?”


These are not just questions for Christmas. What are we giving to others each day? There are two types of people–givers and takers. Takers look for what they can get out of a relationship. They rarely bring anything to the table. Every taker is not standing on a corner with a cardboard sign. Some takers live in our households. Givers, on the other hand, are moved by the needs of others. They often give when they really can’t afford to. Givers understand the sacrifice that giving sometimes entails.

Jesus said it is more blessed to give than to receive, and He modeled this for us. It may not be money, but each of us has something to give. Perhaps it’s time, support, love, forgiveness or encouragement. We all know someone who needs help. Giving is a habit that we need to cultivate every day. One way to ensure a blessing is to give. What will you give this Christmas?