To: You.

Last week was my birthday. While I'm not all that made anxious by aging, around this time I'm always confronted with the question: what do I want? What would be a good gift? I'm hardly able to come up with a proper response, so I end up trying to avoid the subject altogether. So what does make something a great gift?

#1: A great gift is something you want. I struggle with determining if it's a better gift to get something you want, or something you need. I figure a new shirt or even a McDonald's gift card beats a nailcutter and toilet paper anyday.

#2: A great gift is something you don't deserve. I've never known anyone to write a thank you card to their boss for giving them their paycheck. However when my supervisor Gilbert hands me an extra taco at lunch it pretty much makes my day.

#3: A great gift has a cheerful giver. As a youth around this time of year I used to badger my cousins about what gift to get me. I distinctly recall the moment in 6th grade when my cousin Jennifer came to me at school with nicely-wrapped box and said "here's your gift you spoiled brat." I don't remember what I got that year.

#4: A great gift has a purpose. That purpose is most traditionally to build relationships. Neighbors give pies, supermarkets give samples, Realtors give notepads, all with the purpose of hoping to build a relationship with the recipient.


There is nothing more epitomizing of these qualities than in Jesus Christ.
Something you want? "These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full (John 15:11)."

Something you don't deserve? "For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God (Ephesians 2:8)."

Something with a cheerful giver? “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life (John 3:16)."

Something with a purpose? "For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God (2 Corinthians 5:21)." That righteousness reconciles our relationship with a God we turned our back on in our sin.

You'll be happy to know that this is a gift that's offered to you. Yes, you. Christ offers you true happiness by believing in him, not because of what you've done, but because God loves you, and wants to have a relationship with you. That's what makes salvation truly a great gift -- all you have to do is receive it.

Other truly great gifts on the list this year:

A Tribe Called to Christ & Friends.

Surprise Party.

Birthday Card and the Pretty Lady behind it (all). Heck even the mullet.

Thank you guys. God is good.