Out of curiosity, I checked online for the top ten gifts or toys that kids are asking for this Christmas.
Number ten, the Lego Star Wars Resistance X-Wing Fighter. Number nine, the WWE Seth Rollins action figure. Number eight, the Xbox One S. Number seven, Disney’s Moana Adventure Collection. Number six, Lego Mixels Skrubz. Number five, Finding Dory My Friend Dory. Number four, Kirby Planet Robot 3Ds. Number three, a game called Speak Out. Number two, Fisher-Price Shimmer and Shine Dolls. And number one? At a cost of $44, the Little Live Pets Snuggles My Dream Puppy Playset.
In the midst of gift giving and receiving, let’s not fail to remind ourselves, and those around us, that the greatest gift of all time came to us completely undeserved, the gift of a baby in a manger on the other side of the world.
That incredible Gift, the birth of that baby, changed all of human history. If we let him, he can change our lives even today. He offers hope. He offers mercy. He offers another chance at life.
So this week, in the midst of all the celebrations around us, the lights, the music, the food and festivities, perhaps we can pause for a moment to remember who and what it is really all about. The birth of a baby who changed the world. His name is Jesus.