12/22/18 PERSONALLY FITTED
Martha asked, "If the only gift you could give someone this year was a gift of words what would you say?"
All of the answers included the "I love you theme," which prompted me to say.
"This really is a great question, and all the answers are good.
I would frame my words around the individual I was addressing. Some things "off the rack" are just right, but sometimes personalizing a gift makes it even better.
Love seems to be the basis of a great response, because that fits everyone. This is where the "gifting" becomes special."
Sadly, it is difficult to shop for some people. They either have everything and NEED NOTHING, or WANT NOTHING that you offer, or they have so little sensitivity and appreciation that they can't understand a gift of love.
This does not mean that we don't offer our love and best wishes to people who are unresponsive. After all, God offers His love to people who refuse His Gift. However, there comes a time when it is like casting pearls before swine. We are not obligated to persist in offering our best gifts (the love and truth of God), knowing that the recipient will turn and rend us, then trample under foot the best we have. It is not a matter of refusing to have our feelings hurt, it is a matter of avoiding a situation where others mock God because of the hardness of their own hearts.
Christmas is a time of giving and loving. It is sad when the anger, pride or separation of the recipient is so great that they make themselves unapproachable and unreachable. We should not feel guilty at this point. It is not our fault that others take an Ebenezer view of life.
