For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.     Romans 6:23 ESV

If you are like me, now is the time of year when mild panic sets in. Christmas is just a few weeks away and I find myself attempting to buy gifts for those who have it all. I am glad that my loved ones can buy most of the things they want throughout the year, but it does make it really difficult to buy gifts for them for Christmas and birthdays.

My dad was like that. He didn’t want a lot, but what he did want he would go out and buy. It made buying gifts for him very difficult. About six or seven years before my dad passed away, I realized, however that there was one thing he did not have. This was one thing I desperately wanted him to have, but wasn’t sure he would accept it. This was the salvation offered through Jesus Christ.

My dad had accepted Christ as a young boy and was eager and excited about being baptized. His father, who I don’t believe was saved, didn’t go to church and thought that because my dad was only 8 years old, he wasn’t old enough to make that decision. He refused to allow my dad to be baptized. This embarrassed my dad and caused him to not want to go to church.

I’m sure it also broke my grandmother’s heart. She was a devout Christians, and I can only imagine how excited she must have been when her eldest child accepted Christ. I lived my whole life with my dad not knowing any of this had happened. I would always plead with him to come to church with us, but he always made excuses when I was a child. My mom finally told me all this when I was older.

When I got into my thirties, he finally told me he didn’t believe “in all that.” He said he believed that when you died, that was it. He did not believe there was life after death. You can imagine how stunned I was to learn that my dad was not even a believer.

Dad would open his gifts, say thank you and sit them down by his chair. Eventually they would go into a closet, usually never to be seen again. When the next gift giving occasion came, I got Dad a Bible. I bought a nice one in an easy-to-read version and had his name engraved on it.  As usual, he thanked me for it and set it aside.

It would be months later that I would see the Bible on the table near his recliner. I asked my mom if she had been reading his Bible. She told me no that he had been reading it. It would be months later when he would ask to go to a revival with my mom and accept Christ as his savior. At the age of 80, my dad got baptized.

I can’t tell you the comfort it gave me when my dad passed away to know he was going home to be with his Lord and Savior for eternity. I was comforted knowing I would see him again. I was comforted knowing he was with his mom who he had loved so dearly.

I told you all this to say if you know someone who has everything, ask yourself if they have the most important gift of all. Do they have the salvation only offered through Jesus Christ?

I encourage you this holiday season to share the best gift of all with those you love. Share the love of Christ with them. Pray for their salvation. Encourage them to study God’s word.

Many who seem to have it all, lack the most important gift of all. Share it with them this holiday season.

Have a great day!