Grace was having a hard day Saturday. Hard. So spending the day Christmas shopping made it harder on the poor girl. She did a pretty good job. I make it a point to preach the fact that Christmas is not about receiving, it’s about giving. And she knows the words. But having it trickle into her heart is something else. I was trying to figure out why she was starting to fade when it hit me.
She came to me and asked if she could use her allowance to buy something. She had $6, and she wanted something for herself. We were buying so many other presents for other people she wanted one. I was disappointed. Wanted her to be more about giving. But I realized something: She wasn’t really participating. She wasn’t investing in Christmas. So, I brokered a deal:
I told her that if she would give me $5 of her money, I would give her $10, for a total of $15 that she could spend on her cousins. $5 each. So, she could triple her money, but she would have to spend it on someone else. She thought about it, seriously. Then she looked me in the eye and said, “I’m in.” I told her there was a special aisle in Wal Mart where there were presents for $5. She was really excited for me to show her.
The next 30 minutes that ensued were the best of the day. She was in the zone. Contimplating what gifts to buy. Who would like what. How much stuff was. She was catching the spirit of Christmas. After some serious contemplation, she settled on three items. And she asked if she could spend her dollar on some chap stick for herself. I was more than happy to say yes.
So, I gave her the cash, and she paid for it at the cash register. She was really excited. Especially since there was a sacrifice on her part and an investment. And tonight we’re going to wrap these presents. She’s now excited to be able to give a present to her cousins specially from her. Little windows into a heart that is growing to be more like Jesus.
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