OFFICIAL NEWSLETTER - ISSUE 31 - FEB 2007

Dear Friends:

Let’s talk about gifts. We love them, right? There are gift-giving times in our lives such as Christmas and birthdays when we receive and open the things we have dropped hints for in the preceding weeks. Now, don’t roll your eyes, we have all done that! And we are very grateful when someone has picked up on what it was that we really wanted.

But think of how much more fun it is to receive a gift just “out of the blue”? Something we were simply not expecting? Sometimes it may be small like homemade cookies from our neighbor or an offering of art from a 4-year old. At other times, we are overwhelmed with what someone has done for us – a surprise party, an unanticipated bonus, or a little something from our special someone to recognize an important achievement.

Just last week, my husband went to our mailbox and brought in a small black box with a card with my name on it attached. When I opened the card, I realized it was from my friend who owns an optical shop in the area and it simply said “Friends don’t need a reason.” I opened the box to find a new pair of eyeglasses. I had tried those particular frames on in her shop a few weeks earlier when I had had my eyes examined and chose another pair instead, though it was a hard decision because this one was a close second. My friend wanted me to have both styles, so she had them made and, without fanfare, dropped the surprise pair in my mailbox. I am enjoying both pairs of glasses, but the greatest enjoyment was in receiving a totally unexpected gift!

Believe it or not the Bible has something to say about giving gifts to people who don’t expect them and, maybe, don’t even deserve them. Let’s take a look at some examples and see if they give us insight into the potential value of gift-giving.

Proverbs is very clear about the wisdom of giving a gift to open the door to resolving conflict. Proverbs 21:14 says, “A gift given in secret soothes anger. . . “ In The Message that same verse reads, “A quietly given gift soothes an irritable person; a heartfelt present cools a hot temper.” I think this verse is teaching us that if we have a conflict with someone to the extent that meaningful verbal communication seems hopeless, we might consider giving a gift. Words may lose their effectiveness in a highly charged emotional situation, but surprise actions of grace may open the door just a little. A person whose heart is softened by our generosity may be open to talking with some reasonability about the problems between us.

A great example of this is found in Genesis 32 when Jacob is about to come face-to-face with his brother Esau. The last time he saw Esau, about 20 years earlier, Esau was threatening to kill Jacob and, taking that threat seriously, Jacob ran for his life. Now he is coming back as a wiser man and he wants to reconcile with the brother he had cheated and angered. But he doesn’t want to be killed in vengeance before that reconciliation can occur. So he sends gifts to Esau. Lots of them – hundreds of goats, sheep, camels, cows, and donkeys. (By the way if you are thinking about buying a nice gift for someone you have offended, you may want to shop somewhere other than where Jacob shopped. Donkeys just don’t do the trick these days!). He sent each herd with the herdsman on ahead of himself and his family and left space between each group so that Esau would receive a gift, think that was it, and then look up to see another on the horizon. The purpose of the unexpected gifts was to soften his brother so that reconciliation could take place. Just like Proverbs describes. And it worked.

Esau said, “What do you mean by all these droves I met?”

Jacob answers, “To find favor in your eyes, my lord.”

To which Esau responds, “I already have plenty, my brother. Keep what you have for yourself.” Jacob insists and Esau keeps the gifts, but by then they had hugged, kissed, and wept together. We can see that Jacob’s unexpected generosity helped to facilitate reconciliation between these long-term enemies.

We see a similar thing happening in Genesis 43 when Joseph was second-in-command in Egypt and his brothers had come for grain. He sent them back to Palestine with the grain and with a return of the silver they had paid for it. When they were out of food a second time and needed to return to Joseph for more grain, they not only took the silver back, but they brought “the best products of the land” (Genesis 43:11) including balm, honey, spices, and nuts as gifts to pacify Joseph in case he was angry with them for not paying him the first time. Little did they know that, not only was he not angry, but he was their brother, and the gifts they brought would most certainly have created a great nostalgia and longing for home in his heart.

There are other such examples in the Bible and they all serve to remind us of the power of reaching out to someone else in kindness and goodwill. Let’s consider giving an unexpected gift to someone this week.

Maybe it will be something we have made or purchased especially for someone who ne eds to be encouraged or cheered.

Maybe it will be a gift of time or attention for someone who is overburdened with life or is feeling marginalized.

Maybe it will be a “just because” gift for a friend we value and appreciate.

Maybe it will be a specially chosen token to open the door to restoring relationship with someone we have been at odds with.

The Bible teaches great truths about human nature and, with that in mind, we should take seriously its insight that gifts can be tools that used for advancing the kingdom of God and bringing glory to his name. Not a bad motivation, right? We should at least think about it!

While we are doing that, let’s enjoy the gift of this day!

Bev

P.S. If you know of others who would enjoy receiving this newsletter each month, please encourage them to visit my website (www.beverlyvankampen.com), click on the newsletter icon, and enter their e-mail address. I would love to add them to our circle of friends.