Not a Gift

            According to various research and data groups, the busiest day for shopping is the day after Thanksgiving known as “Black Friday.”  The second busiest day is the day after Christmas, though it is more for returning items than purchasing items.  This leads to the great theological question:  What is the day after Christmas called “Unwanted Gift Day?” 

            When is a gift not a gift?  Recently, I was involved in a conversation where a person was upset that someone bought them a gift. They complained because they did not want the gift.  They refused to accept the gift, and they actually felt insulted because someone bought them a gift.  Not accepting a gift is a common occurrence.  What reasons would someone have for not accepting a gift?

            First, people feel obligated to reciprocate with a gift.  Oftentimes when a gift is given to someone, the receiver, right or wrong, feels they must reciprocate with a gift, especially with a gift of equal or greater value.  If the gift given is out of the economic range of the receiver, they know they will not be able to reciprocate; it is easier to turn it away.  This way the receiver will not feel guilty if they were unable to reciprocate. 

            Second, people feel they do not deserve the gift.  One of the “threats” to children around Christmas time is that if they are good, Santa brings gifts, if they are bad, then they do not get any gifts.  This carries on into adulthood, in that people feel that they do not deserve to receive gifts from people.  They did not do enough to warrant such an action from other people. This is termed, “works mentality.”  A person must earn their gift. 

            Herein lays the problem with that thought.  Something that is freely given is a gift; something that is earned is considered payment.  The term the Bible uses is “wages.”  A person does a job and receives something for the job it is wages.  A person walks up to you on the street and hands you a gold ring and then runs away, that is a gift.  You did nothing to earn the gold ring; it was given to you.  If you then immediately walk over to the trashcan and throw the gold ring in it, is it still a gift?

            The Bible gives the distinction between payment and a gift.  “For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord,” (Romans 6:23 NASB).  The payment for sin and our sinful life is death.  Death is what we earn.  However, we are given a gift, a free gift, and that is eternal life.  Eternal life is a gift that is given to us.  We cannot work for it that becomes wages.  It is freely given.

            There is one thing that we must do to get this gift.  The only thing that needs to be done is to accept the gift.  If we do not accept the gift, then we cannot receive the gift.  The Heavenly Father has presented everyone with a gift.  Will you accept the gift, or will it not be a gift at all.