Jacob gave a
present to his brother Esau, hoping that it would appease his very justifiable
anger and pave the way for a reconciliation.
The present
was 200 female goats, 20 male goats, 200 ewes, 20 rams, female camels with
their young, 40 cows, 10 bulls, 20 female donkeys, and 10 male donkeys (Genesis
32:13-15).
A little bit
too much to fit under a Christmas tree, don’t you think?
Abigail
brought a present to David and his men when she realised that her husband had
offended them. Her gift was 200 loaves of bread, two wineskins full of wine,
five sheep that had been slaughtered, a bushel of roasted grain, 100 clusters
of raisins, and 200 fig cakes (1 Samuel 25:18).
On other occasions,
people brought gifts to honour a king. This was the intention of the Magi who
came to see the baby Jesus in Bethlehem (Matthew 2:11).
In many
cultures around the world today, gift giving is linked to special annual festivals
and celebrations. Each culture mandates the sort of gift that is appropriate
for each specific occasion. For instance, I’ve read that clocks, handkerchiefs
and flowers are inappropriate gifts in China because they are all associated
with death and funerals. Anyone planning a trip to Japan will be wise to study
up on that country’s elaborately significant gift-giving rituals.
These days
there are whole websites dedicated to the culture of gift-giving, what to do
and what NOT to do. But the thing that is most important, ultimately, is not
the gift but the attitude in which it is given. The key words here are respect and
appreciation.
If there is
such a thing as a Christian culture of gift-giving, may I suggest that it will
go beyond just giving what is expected, giving because you have to. It will not
be about impressing the other person or showing off. Rather, it will be prayerful,
thoughtful and gracious, motivated and wrapped in the pure love of God.
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