The Language of Gift-Giving

I think about God while I am shopping. It may seem strange, but up and down the aisles, I dwell upon Him. Whether at my top favorites TJMAXX and Target...even while shopping at Meijer sometimes, I just think about Him. What brings Him to my mind, you ask? Well, every time I linger in the land of retail, I see something for my girls that I just know they will love. With every aisle I scan, I see one item after another that I am just certain will bring joy to their hearts. I long to let them know how much I love and think of them through giving them gifts. And this always brings me back to God and more specifically Matthew 7:11. I am reminded of His never-ending love when I reflect upon these words, "If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give what is good to those who ask Him!"

I obviously don't buy everything I take into view for the girls while shopping. The budget just wouldn't handle it, and honestly we all know that would be unhealthy for them. But today, I had a defeating moment as a parent in the "good gifts" department. I decided to clean out one of my daughter's rooms (I'm leaving the name out on condition of anonymity...but you've got a 50% chance of figuring it out :)) because it was unbelievably messy. It took me literally over 4 hours and 6 full garbage bags, to clean it. As I put item after item into the trash, my heart recognized that these "good gifts" were no longer worth anything to her....stuffed under her bed, thrown on the floor of her closet. In frustration and anger, I muttered to myself that this would be the end of her "good gifts" from me. No more picking up this little thing or that little thing for her. By doing this, I am only adding to her disregard for her possessions. With all the determination I could muster as I stumbled for a safe place to stand on her littered floor, I admonished myself for contributing to the mess. "I am absolutely through with "good gifts," I seethed.

Then, confirming I needed a good dose of Truth in my mind, my thoughts drifted once more to God and Matthew 7:11. I reflected on the way I have treated His "good gifts" at times...my lack of appreciation, my absence of acknowledgement, my "love it one minute, leave it the next" approach. I am no different than my daughter. So, I might not stuff His "good gifts" under the bed or leave them in disarray on the floor of my closet. But I have treated them with the same inattention...the same indifference. I have become "spoiled" if you will, yet I know my Father can't help but give them to me. He just loves me so. (Side Note: Sometimes His "good gifts" come in the form of discipline and correction. He is great to "spoil" me that way! Helps me to become more like Him, the GREATEST OF ALL GIFTS.)

Today, I gave my daughter one more "good gift" that I think will be more valuable to her than any of the others that formerly cluttered her room. I gave her the "good gift" of boundaries, which included the "box" of respect...complete with a "bow" of appreciation. You see, I had to give it to her. I couldn't leave her with the mistake of treating her "good gifts" like they held no value. If I did that, she might have trouble realizing how priceless "good gifts" are from her Father. Those are the very best kind, and their endurance rate is 100%.

**My "gift" giving days are not over. I will just be more careful in the future. I love them both...and I just can't help showering them sometimes.