The Farmville herald. (Farmville, Va.) 1957-current, 1959-12-18

it's just protect Is....,aa
ing your inter- D.
ests. When you - n -
have secret Dr.. Foreman
pal" and you put present for her
(or hin) under a tree, knowing
that your SIP. will have one there
for you, that isn't giving. it's a
game of swapping. When you give
away an old garment that you
don't want to be seen in any more.
that isn't giving, it's just cleaning
out your closet.
True Giving
The grace of Christmas is Chris
tan giving. When is giving Chris
tian2 When it costs the giver
something, when it is worth giving,
and when the one who is to receive
it really needs it. might save up
my money and spend a lot of it on
a set of plumbers tools for Aunt
Ginny. that present would cost me
something but Aunt Ginny would
have no earthly use for it. While
it's fresh in our minds it would
hurt none of us to go over our
Christmas shopping list for 1859
and see how much of it was Chris
tan.
All the same, giving is the grace,
the special grace, Of Christmas. 1t
is a fitting way to celebrate God $
greatest gift to us. It was about
three centuries after the birth of
Christ that the Christian church
set definite date for his birthday.
Once begun, the church never gave
up this custom. But the essence Of
Christmas is not Santa Claus, not
the tree nor the yule log. nor the
mistletoe, nor the lights in the
windows, charming as all these
may be. The essence Of Christmas
is the grace Of Christmas, ana the
grace Of Christmas Is Giving.
Not Always Things
Most Of us think of gifts as
things, things that weigh some
thing on the scales, things that
can be put into pretty box and
be wrapped up. Sometimes the best
present may not be thing Of that
kind at all Our Bible story from
Acts is as much a Christmas story
as the one from Luke; for both
have to do with Giving The story
in Luke tells Of Gods gift to us.
First we see the Christians at An
tioch giving the good news to that
city. Since Christians had then no
prestige whatever and were few in
number, their speaking to the
Greeks" must have been personal
conversations. not public sermons.
They shared their faith. and that
was the best gift Of all. Faith can
not be wrapped in a package and
it weighs nothing on the parcel
post scales, But it is more valuable
than any parcel that was insured
this or any Christmas.
At Our peers
Our Christmas-grace story from
Acts also tells Of different kind
Of giving, which was Christian too.
There are times and occasions
when the spiritual" gift is not the
thing. Saint James saw this clearly.
He raises the question with some
one who has just sent needy case
away, with a blessing but with an
empty basket go in peace" this
person had said, "be warmed and
fed" II any one should ask him
whether he gave that poor widow
anything, he would have said, "Of
course. ! gave her my blessing,
didn't I? expressed my earnest
prayer that she would And warmth
and a square meal" But You
didn't give her any firewood or
groceries?" "No-I gave some
thing much better because it was
spiritual: a benediction. o nom
sense! James says such mans
faith" is dead, John, a spiritual
man if ever one lived. wonders if
such a man has the love Of God
In him at all. Spiritual gifts are
the best gifts-but IL they go along
with material selfishness. they are
not gifts at ell. "A benediction may
be an expression Of the grace Of
Christmas; but 50 may sack Of
potatoes A Christmas gift is ons
that Christ would give.
Nesed on outlines copyrighted ~
The Division Of Chyista4n Educationi
National Council Of the Churches .o4
Christ b Tie Q. 8. H. 1a1A4Ged by
Connsaity Press sssvles.j