Then Peter said, Silver and gold have I none; but such as I have give I thee: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth rise up and walk. – Acts 3:6
Asking a person what they want as a gift is a sure fire way to please them. However, sometimes, you would like even the fact that you are planning to give them a gift to be a surprise, not to mention what it is. So then, how do you know what to give a regular person, much less Christ, without specifically asking them what they want? Here are some helpful hints:
Know what they like. Then see what among those things they lack. When you have a good relationship with a person, you tend to know both their hopes and their fears. You know their triumphs and their tragedies. You know their wealth and their dearth. They key is that the better your relationship is with a person, the more you know what they like. Upon closer inspection, you will be able to see what among those things they lack. Make a list of what they lack, then give them one of those things!
The same goes for Christ. As you develop your relationship with Him, it becomes clearer and clearer to you what He likes about you and lacks from you. A great gift for Christ would be something that you know He likes and lacks which is in your possession, at our disposal or under your control. In the case of Mary, He liked her spending time with Him and she did.
41 And Jesus answered and said unto her, Martha, Martha, thou art careful and troubled about many things: 42 But one thing is needful: and Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her. – Luke 10:41-42
Give them what you have that they need. Along these same lines, what people ask for is not always what they need the most. What they often ask for are the fanciful luxuries while being mum on the basic necessities. They want a leather coat, but they need underwear. They want a pair of $200 sneakers, but they need socks. They want a new house, but they need rent for the apartment they are in right now.
To give a great gift, begin with what they need, then give them something you have which they need. That’s what Peter and John did when they met a lame man who asked for money, but really needed to be made whole.
Then Peter said, Silver and gold have I none; but such as I have give I thee: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth rise up and walk. – Acts 3:6
You can do this for Christ too. He actually doesn’t have everything. He’s doesn’t have your time, your attention or your soul unless you give it to Him.
Provide for someone they care for. If you can’t figure out what to give someone who seems to have everything, instead, you might consider giving something to someone they care about. They will look upon a gift to someone they care about as a gift to them. Helping a mother’s child with tuition is a gift to her. Mentoring a father’s wayward son is a gift to him.
The parable of the sheep and the goats proves that Jesus thinks the same way: And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me. – Matthew 25:40