Matthew 2:11
And when they were come into the house, they saw the young child with Mary HIS mother, and fell down, and worshipped HIM: and when they had opened their treasures, they presented unto HIM gifts; of gold, frankincense and myrrh.
One day after Thanksgiving Madison Avenue inundates the airwaves with the message of get, get, get. I had a wise saint who had a wonderful saying that I have adopted as my own. "Some people GET all they can, and CAN all they get" The push to exchange things has become an American Tradition linked with Christendom as a most holy event. Getting and giving to the point of utter bankruptcy. I am guilty of it myself, though I am not about getting as much as the opportunity to teach people that it is a blessing to give beyond receiving, because Christ gave all He had and all He was to us. This practice of giving and getting is far from Christian values and principles and boarders on paganism.
One of the early church fathers one generation from John was Tertullian who is also known as the father of western theology taught that the practice of exchanging gifts does not have a single trace of Christianity about it. It does not celebrate Christ's birthday or honor it or Him. Think about it...if you have a person whom you want to honor would you spend a certain day exchanging gifts back and forth? Would that honor that person? Can you now see how absolutely absurd and preposterous the season has become?
Look at my text, it does not say that whenever the "Wise Men" met together that they exchanged gifts with any of those around or between themselves. They presented HIM with gifts, the best that they had!
Ancient custom indicates that whenever someone approached any other dignitary of great prominence, they always brought the best gifts they could afford or had with them...Think of the Queen of Sheba, when she came to present herself to Solomon, she was perhaps the greatest dignitary that Africa had, yet, when she came to meet with Solomon, she brought her best gifts! 1 Kings 10:10. So much was her giving that the scripture records that her gift of spices was the largest ever giving of any gift giver in history.
Yet much of our giving is centered around pagan ritual and not centered on Christ. What is the best gift you could give this season? You could make a decision to give yourself wholeheartedly to Him and His cause. THAT would be the true reason for the season.