The Perfect Gift

Do you want to give the best gifts? I do! I strive to buy the perfect present for each person on my Christmas list. Sometimes I go overboard, and my husband has to remind me to stay within the budget. But it brings me so much joy to think about my family opening the boxes on Christmas morning. What a warm feeling I get when their faces light up and happiness overtakes them. I think about how each person will use the gifts and how they will make their lives better. But eventually, people outgrow gifts. My mom will surely use up all her perfume. My children will forget about their favorite toys. My husband will find a new hobby. The joy that was once a response to these items becomes a distant memory in my mind, yet the perfect gift lasts forever. What is this perfect gift? Jesus! 

Now you can’t really give anyone Jesus as a present. He’s already given Himself to all who will receive Him. You could buy books about Him and stuff them in everyone’s stockings, but somehow that pales in comparison to the wishlist of a nine-year-old. So what do you do? Perhaps the ideal gift isn’t something that can be wrapped and placed under a tree; rather it’s something that’s expressed from within. Fortunately, the Bible tells us exactly where the best gifts come from. “Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows” (James 1:17).

This verse is a reminder that the pressure of giving the perfect gifts isn’t on our shoulders. God has already done that. Where does He place these gifts? It’s not like we go out and pick them off trees, although apples are delicious gifts. The gifts talked about in Scripture are spiritual gifts, ones that have been given to all of us according to Romans 12:6–8: “We have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us. If your gift is prophesying, then prophesy in accordance with your faith; if it is serving, then serve; if it is teaching, then teach; if it is to encourage, then give encouragement; if it is giving, then give generously; if it is to lead, do it diligently; if it is to show mercy, do it cheerfully.”

Our role is simply to express those gifts to the people around us. When we do, we reflect Jesus. That is perfection. It doesn’t mean you have to be perfect. When Jesus is at the core of your love for people, flaws don’t matter. You just have to be willing to extend yourself to others. As cliche as it may sound, your presence is the perfect present for all those you encounter. 

You may not be prophesying to people this Christmas, but a word encouraging their souls will outlast anything covered in shiny paper and a bow. You may not be the boldest leader in your family, but you can serve them well this holiday season.

As women, we love so hard and lean into pleasing those we’re close to. Often, during the holidays, it means searching the shelves for the best things money can buy. But when we do that, we are missing the point. Sure, you can show affection in the form of toys, dishes, clothes, and gift cards. But the imprint of those things is temporary. The memories created when you’re operating in your gifts—that’s everlasting.

As we prepare to spend time with loved ones this Christmas, let’s remember this truth: The perfect gift is when you let Jesus shine through you. And that, in return, draws people toward Him.

Be a gift this Christmas. 

—Written by Bree Rostic. Used by permission from the author. Click here to connect with Bree.