Your read of the significance...

Your read of the significance...

Your read of the significance of giving gifts to those we love at Christmas?

gb

Originally posted by Grampy Bobby
[b]Your read of the significance...

Your read of the significance of giving gifts to those we love at Christmas?

gb[/b]

is there any better way to celebrate Christ than to give gifts?

Originally posted by Melanerpes
is there any better way to celebrate Christ than to give gifts?

Agree. Gift giving to those we love has always been especially significant for me because it symbolizes God's matchless love for mankind in Eternity Past as the motivation for giving us the gift of His uniquely born son in time to satisfy/propitiate His justice and integrity, in order for us to be reconciled to Him by our excercise of the option of eternal salvation through faith alone in Christ.

gb

Originally posted by Melanerpes
is there any better way to celebrate Christ than to give gifts?

Especially to those who dont/cant/wont give in return .. like the poor and needy, kids etc. But when you give to those who reciprocate then there is no blessing from God.

Originally posted by Rajk999
Especially to those who dont/cant/wont give in return .. like the poor and needy, kids etc. But when you give to those who reciprocate then there is no blessing from God.

Absolutely. Christian giving is about motivation. We don't give to receive in return, to impress others with our generosity or even with the notion of being blessed by God. Grace concept is reflected in the "widow's mite." She gave all that she had in faith believing, even though it was only a penny or two. We don't give grudgingly or of necessity but by choice. God approves of a cheerful giver.

gb

Originally posted by Grampy Bobby
Absolutely. Christian giving is about motivation. We don't give to receive in return, to impress others with our generosity or even with the notion of being blessed by God. Grace concept is reflected in the "widow's mite." She gave all that she had in faith believing, even though it was only a penny or two. We don't give grudgingly or of necessity but by choice. God approves of a cheerful giver.

gb

when gifts are given - there are two motivations at work

One is the "marketplace" -- you give me a product or service and I give you something (usually money) in return -- and the other is the "true act of giving"

When you buy something in a store, the seller need not have any compassion for you - you're just a customer. When you go to a restaurant, you know that the person cooking your food or serving your table aren't showing how much they "care" about you. As such, these are not "true acts of giving" - they're merely transactions. Of course, none of these things are in of themselves bad. But it is bad if all human activity gets reduced to this mentality.

What Jesus is saying is that the test of whether an action is truly an act of giving is whether the person would still do that action if they received nothing in return for it - or especially if the person actually had to incur a great deal of suffering. This is why he talks about giving dinners for the poor and about loving one's enemy.

But the same mentality should definitely apply when giving to family and friends that you care about. And this gift-giving mentality should apply, to some extent, even to the marketplace - the employee shouldn't be thinking only about his paycheck - the business owner shouldn't be thinking only about his profits.

Originally posted by Melanerpes
when gifts are given - there are two motivations at work

One is the "marketplace" -- you give me a product or service and I give you something (usually money) in return -- and the other is the "true act of giving"

When you buy something in a store, the seller need not have any compassion for you - you're just a customer. When you go to a restaurant, ...[text shortened]... ut his paycheck - the business owner shouldn't be thinking only about his profits.

My last post focused on vertical perspective relative to motivation. Your

horizontal applications of the grace giving principle certainly hold true.

Originally posted by Grampy Bobby
[b]Your read of the significance...

Your read of the significance of giving gifts to those we love at Christmas?

gb[/b]

Significance?

The three kings of the east who came to witness the Christ came with gifts: gold, frankincense and myrrh. At this time in history, they were among the most expensive commodities on the planet.

This is the significance of gift-giving at Christmas.

I also like O. Henry's "The Gift of the Magi". A simple story featuring this Christmas gift-giving.

Originally posted by Suzianne
Significance?

The three kings of the east who came to witness the Christ came with gifts: gold, frankincense and myrrh. At this time in history, they were among the most expensive commodities on the planet.

This is the significance of gift-giving at Christmas.

I also like O. Henry's "The Gift of the Magi". A simple story featuring this Christmas gift-giving.

I always thought they stopped off at a jewelry store and a head shop before seeing Jesus.

gift giving is an ancient tradition celebrated on various holidays for diverse reasons. the christian tradition is likely associated with the roman tradition of gift giving on the winter solstice/new year.