By Jeff Brink, December 12, 2023

It’s that time of year again when we frantically scurry around looking to buy the perfect gifts for our loved ones. People look under the tree with great anticipation, counting how many gifts have their name on it. The world has effectively commercialized the holy Advent and Christmas season, shifting our focus to worldly gifts and away from the birth of our Savior Jesus – God’s eternal gift.  

With Christmas Day fast approaching, it’s important to reflect on the magnitude of what’s inside God’s ultimate gift to us – salvation and eternal life through His Son, Jesus Christ. “By grace, you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, so that no one may boast” (Ephesians 2:8-9). This is the one and only gift you will ever receive with eternal value – truly a gift that keeps on giving! If you (or your loved ones) have not accepted this free gift of eternal life and a direct relationship with your Creator, I urge you not to put it off another day. Stop looking under the tree; look to heaven and unwrap the perfect gift of Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior.

Our awesome God has also uniquely gifted us with abilities and talents to glorify Him, cultivate His creation, and expand His kingdom. “Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms” (1 Peter 4:10).

Once identified, it’s crucial to put your gifts to good godly use, unlike the third servant in Jesus’ parable of the talents, who squandered the talent his master had entrusted him to steward (Matthew 25:14-30). An important part of effective stewarding is connecting the unique gifts God has given you with your job and in the marketplace.

As Tim Keller aptly stated, “If you have money, power, and status today, it is due to the century and place in which you were born, to your talents and capacities and health, none of which you earned. In short, all your resources are in the end the gift of God.” 

Serve the Lord with your talents and use them for His glory. Colossians 3:23-24 “Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ.”

Are you unwrapping all of God’s gifts and effectively using them to glorify Him and serve others in all areas of your life, including work? 

God put your name on these gifts for a reason.