Session 8
What Can I Give Him?
From Rich Toward God
If you’re a parent, you probably remember the year—the one your kids truly understood Christmas for the first time. Or perhaps you can reflect back on your own childhood, remembering the first time you went shopping with a parent to buy gifts for others in your family. The Christmas holiday is filled with generosity, and kids usually want to join in!
The reality is that while children grasp the joy of the holiday spirit, they don’t have the resources to back it up. Even if a kid gives a gift, it is usually bought with their parents’ money. Other times, kids may even “borrow” household items or their own toys, wrapping them sloppily under the tree. But on Christmas morning, something beautiful happens. A father is filled with joy as he unwraps gifts from his kids, even if he already owned them—or if they were bought with his own money. The dad doesn’t need the gift itself, but he loves that his child thought of him and wanted to give something of value to them.
In many ways, this same narrative describes our giving to God. He has no need for our gifts—the earth is His, and everything within it. But God doesn’t mock our giving. He meets us on our level, deepening our relationship as we joyfully hand over that which is already His. If we pay attention, giving provides us with a tangible, visceral experience between a dependent child and a loving Father. The exchange is not monetary—it’s relational. What is truly exchanged is love between a Father and His trusting child. And every time we approach Him with generosity, He turns to us with joy and love.
REFLECT
- When was the last time you gave an offering to God with childlike wonder?
- How does it feel to know that God gets joy from your gifts?