Must-Have Gifts

on Dec 06 in Everyday Life, Faith, Third World

Sunday morning.

Grande Eggnog Latte.

Reading the newspaper.

I glance upon an advertising insert section, sponsored by a global retail organization.  I read the main header:

Must Have Gifts.

There are four “must have” gifts on their insert cover page.

There is a a 40″ Flat Screen.¬† There is a Digital Photo frame.¬† There is a Mega Aluminum Cooking Set.¬† And there is a Billiards Table.

And before I rant a bit, I want to say that there is absolutely NOTHING wrong with any of these gifts.  I would enjoy any of them.  You probably would too.

My issue is that they’re being called “Must-Have Gifts”.

It’s simply a lie.¬† There isn’t anything about these gifts that I must have.¬† Would they make me temporarily happy?¬† Yep.¬† Would I enjoy opening any of them at Christmas?¬† Sure.¬† Would I appreciate the giver of such gifts.¬† Absolutely.

But there is nothing in any person on the face of the earth that must have any of these gifts.

Can I mention a few must-have gifts?

HUMAN DIGNITY.¬† That’s a gift that everyone must have. Did you know that there are four times more slaves in the world today than there were at the time of the US Civil War?¬† And did you know that American Slaves averaged $40,000 per purchase?¬† Today, the average slave is sold for $90.¬† In our world, there is a diminished value to human life, perhaps like nothing we’ve seen in centuries.¬† So if you want to give the gift of human dignity by offering human freedom, visit International Justice Mission, or Amnesty International.

CLEAN WATER.¬† The ability for our world to have access to clean water is something they must have, and that we must give. Imagine that 20 Jumbo Jets crashed every day, and that every person on these flights died.¬† That’s how many people die every day from lack of clean drinking water.¬† 91% of disease comes as a direct or indirect result of unclean water.¬† We can all give the gift of clean water by visiting Living Water International.¬† You can even put a team of friends together, and dig a well yourself.

YOU.  The people in your life need you.  You are the must-have gift in their lives.  There are personal cards to be created, video messages to be sent, and special dinners to be eaten.  There are lonely husbands who need their wives to create a special date night.  There are lonely wives who need their husbands to simply sit near them on the couch, unaccompanied by ESPN.  God has uniquely placed every one of us in the middle of our current relationships, and He wants us to give ourselves sacrificially to these relationships.  You and I are the must-have gifts to our loved ones this season.

There are more must-have gifts, but this blog won’t hold them all.¬† So I think I’ll quit here.¬† Besides, I gotta go watch some ESPN on my new flat-screen, while the kids play eight-ball.