The Advent season is full of delight. From candlelit church services to cookie decorating with family, the specialness of Christ’s birth seems to seep into the cracks of even the tiniest moments.
One of my biggest delights during the Christmas season is giving gifts. For me, gift giving is a way to show God’s love. It’s a way of telling others, “I know you, and I love you.” So after weeks of puzzling and careful curating, I’m elated when I find just the right gift for someone. My delight overflows. It takes all of my willpower not to tell my husband or my sister or my mom what I bought them for Christmas . . . or just flat out give them their gift on December 10.
Gift giving is also a way to picture God’s grace because gifts come with no strings attached. If I were to give my husband a Christmas gift and follow it up with a list of to-dos that he had to complete before opening, it would no longer be a gift. Likewise, when the Lord offers for us to drink deeply and with joy from the waters of salvation (Isa. 12:3), He does not require anything from us. Instead, He tells us that our salvation by His grace is a gift (Eph. 2:8–9). That gift came in the form of a baby.
God’s Unspeakable Gift
Jesus Christ, God’s only Son, was born into this world to live a perfect life, die on the cross to take the punishment for our sins, and defeat death when He rose on the third day. Because of Christ, we have received grace instead of wrath, adoption instead of abandonment, righteousness instead of rags. Because of Christ, we have received the gift of salvation.
What an invaluable gift, paid for by the blood of our Savior! Yet why do I often find myself dreading rather than delighting when I have the chance to share the good news of this gospel gift? Instead of bursting with excitement, I often shrink back, stunned by fear or feelings of inadequacy. Sometimes I even sigh in frustration when given the chance to present the gospel, because it feels more like an inconvenient interruption than a divine appointment.
If we are so delighted to give temporary gifts to those that we love, how much more excited should we be to give those around us the gift of the gospel? After all, the gospel should be the gift that we are most delighted to give.
Delight Yourself in the Gospel
This Christmas season as you come into contact with family members and friends that you may not see very often (or even strangers!), you can prepare your heart to delight in giving the gift of the gospel.
When you are truly excited about something, you naturally talk to others about it. The same is true with the gospel. Reminding yourself daily of your need for Christ and delighting in His faithfulness to His promises will help you to be grateful for and excited about the gospel. Not only will this help you talk to others about it more naturally, but it also shows how much Christ means to you. When others see that you delight in the gospel, they are more likely to have an interest in what you have to say about it.
Just like you curate and plan when shopping for Christmas gifts for others, you can do the same as you consider sharing the gift of the gospel. While you can’t rehearse every situation you might encounter, you can practice explaining the gospel in simple language and memorize passages of Scripture that display God’s plan of salvation. (This is especially helpful if you often feel afraid that you will not be able to explain the gospel well.)
Remember: the Pressure Is Off
When you give a Christmas gift, there is a moment of anticipation: Will they like it? I hope I’ve gotten them the right thing. The experience can be similar when sharing the gospel: Will they accept Christ? I hope I’ve said the right things.
It should encourage you to remember that your job is only to plant the seeds of truth in that person’s life. The Holy Spirit is the one who brings forth fruit. Perhaps it may seem, at the time, that your loved one has rejected the gospel, but in the future the Spirit could remind them of something you’ve shared and draw them to the Lord years later. Don’t put pressure on yourself to “get” that loved one saved. Instead, rest in the fact that salvation is the job of the Holy Spirit and trust Him to work in their life.
The Greatest Gift of All
As we go about giving gifts this holiday season, may we delight in the gift of the gospel, even going out of our way to look for opportunities to offer the greatest gift of all to those in our lives who might receive it for the first time this Christmas.
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