Take Away

Christmas gifts usually add something to our life - a new tv, a colorful sweater, a bottle of perfume, or a much-loved toy. Something that wasn’t present before becomes readily available with the removal of a shiny, red bow and some neatly wrapped cardboard. We now possess something new. Our hands are full. Our house is too.

But what if a Christmas gift removed something from your life? What if you took something away instead of offering something new?

This is what I’m choosing to do this Christmas. I’m planning to take instead of give, remove instead of add, eliminate instead of accumulate.

Don’t get me wrong. I’m too traditional to not give my loved ones wrapped-up presents complete with raffia ribbon and snowman sticker tags. But I know in my heart there’s so much more I can offer them than “stuff.” There’s something I can give through taking away.

So, I’m ridding myself of selfishness.

My gift to my family, to David, to God is to allow the Holy Spirit to work in my heart - to focus not on my own life, my own comfort level, my own desires but instead on the life and heart of God, the joy and pain of others, and the Kingdom that eagerly awaits our response.

I hate selfishness. I hate that it dwells so comfortably in me. I hate that it seeps out and sucks the joy out of life. I hate that it distracts me so effectively from everything that matters.

James 3:14-16 says, “But if you harbor bitter envy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast about it or deny the truth. Such “wisdom” does not come down from heaven but is earthly, unspiritual, of the devil. For wherever you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every kind of evil practice.”

Where there is selfishness there is sin. There is disorder. There is separation. It strains relationships, sometimes damages them beyond repair. It points the finger at other people, at other problems and other symptoms, but never at its own deep-seated roots. And it tears us apart while convincing us we’re fine.

“But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peaceloving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere.” (vs. 17)

In order to truly give, I must take something away. I must remove my selfishness. I must allow my heart to be transformed. I must, and I want to.

So I’ll stick a red shiny bow on an empty box this Christmas, and I’ll place it under my tree as a reminder – a reminder to be empty and surrendered before God, to be selfless and serving with others, to give through taking away.