Socks and Underwear Again?
Joanna Montgomery
Christmas is a wonderful time of giving and receiving gifts. Have you ever received a gift you needed, but really did not want? When I was a child, every Christmas I knew what I would be getting from my grandma, socks and underwear. Ugh! Each year I thought, “Maybe this year she will get me a doll or a board game!” However, every year, I would unwrap a gift containing five pairs of white knee socks and seven pairs of underwear. There was nothing fancy about them. I would never have picked them. Yet, they were always the right size and I really did need them. Looking back, I know my grandma gave me something I needed because she loved me. At the time, I did not think about how much I needed her gift, but what I needed was more important than what I wanted.
Joseph was given a gift his family needed, but in a sense, they probably did not want it. In Matthew 2:13-15, Joseph was visited in a dream by an angel of God. The angel told Joseph, “‘Rise, take the child and his mother, and flee to Egypt, and remain there until I tell you, for Herod is about to search for the child, to destroy him.’ And he rose and took the child and his mother by night and departed to Egypt and remained there until the death of Herod. This was to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet, ‘Out of Egypt I called my son.’”
Although this gift of direction was definitely something they needed, I am sure the last thing Mary and Joseph wanted to do was to pack up their things in the middle of the night, take their baby boy, and run to Egypt just as fast as they could go. I wonder if Joseph thought, “Oh man, we just got Jesus back to sleep, Mary is exhausted, and Egypt? Really? Maybe we could wait until morning.” Instead of focusing on the inconvenience, Joseph was obedient to the gift of direction provided by the angel’s warning. The gift provided them with safety, with the life of their child, Jesus, and with their eternal lives.
The gift of direction was not as tangible or ornate as the gifts brought to the baby by the wise men, but was, perhaps, even more precious. The angel provided direction, and Joseph was obedient and thankful. Are we thankful and obedient in following God’s direction? Do we even take time to know what God’s direction is?
When we lean and trust in Jesus as our Savior, choose to follow Him, and allow Him to direct our paths, God provides us the gift of direction, just as He did for Joseph. Our gift of direction is the Bible. The Bible is a map to follow, it is the path to our hope, our eternal life, our peace, and our comfort. The Bible will lead us in (and to) God’s direction. Proverbs 3:6 states, “In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.”
The Bible is one of the greatest gifts ever given. If we read the Bible daily, it reveals the direction everyone needs, but we must be careful not to take it for granted. Do we treasure the Bible, or do we wish we would receive a more “fun” gift? Maybe instead of reading the Bible, you read your horoscope to see what the “stars” say you should do. Or perhaps you just trust your gut and do what feels right. These “fun” gifts cannot lead us to real joy, peace, comfort, or eternal life. Instead, they are a path away from God’s plan for our life. Only God’s gift of the Bible will guide and direct us to the right path. Are we utilizing this gift? Are we reading the Bible? The Bible is the perfect size, the perfect fit, and the perfect answer to meet every need.
Now that I am older, I find my favorite gifts are things I really need. God provides the gifts we need. Our Savior, Jesus, is the best gift God has ever given. The gift of the Bible provides direction to find life and know what God wants us to do, just like the angel’s gift provided direction to Joseph.
Joanna Montgomery
Christmas is a wonderful time of giving and receiving gifts. Have you ever received a gift you needed, but really did not want? When I was a child, every Christmas I knew what I would be getting from my grandma, socks and underwear. Ugh! Each year I thought, “Maybe this year she will get me a doll or a board game!” However, every year, I would unwrap a gift containing five pairs of white knee socks and seven pairs of underwear. There was nothing fancy about them. I would never have picked them. Yet, they were always the right size and I really did need them. Looking back, I know my grandma gave me something I needed because she loved me. At the time, I did not think about how much I needed her gift, but what I needed was more important than what I wanted.
Joseph was given a gift his family needed, but in a sense, they probably did not want it. In Matthew 2:13-15, Joseph was visited in a dream by an angel of God. The angel told Joseph, “‘Rise, take the child and his mother, and flee to Egypt, and remain there until I tell you, for Herod is about to search for the child, to destroy him.’ And he rose and took the child and his mother by night and departed to Egypt and remained there until the death of Herod. This was to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet, ‘Out of Egypt I called my son.’”
Although this gift of direction was definitely something they needed, I am sure the last thing Mary and Joseph wanted to do was to pack up their things in the middle of the night, take their baby boy, and run to Egypt just as fast as they could go. I wonder if Joseph thought, “Oh man, we just got Jesus back to sleep, Mary is exhausted, and Egypt? Really? Maybe we could wait until morning.” Instead of focusing on the inconvenience, Joseph was obedient to the gift of direction provided by the angel’s warning. The gift provided them with safety, with the life of their child, Jesus, and with their eternal lives.
The gift of direction was not as tangible or ornate as the gifts brought to the baby by the wise men, but was, perhaps, even more precious. The angel provided direction, and Joseph was obedient and thankful. Are we thankful and obedient in following God’s direction? Do we even take time to know what God’s direction is?
When we lean and trust in Jesus as our Savior, choose to follow Him, and allow Him to direct our paths, God provides us the gift of direction, just as He did for Joseph. Our gift of direction is the Bible. The Bible is a map to follow, it is the path to our hope, our eternal life, our peace, and our comfort. The Bible will lead us in (and to) God’s direction. Proverbs 3:6 states, “In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.”
The Bible is one of the greatest gifts ever given. If we read the Bible daily, it reveals the direction everyone needs, but we must be careful not to take it for granted. Do we treasure the Bible, or do we wish we would receive a more “fun” gift? Maybe instead of reading the Bible, you read your horoscope to see what the “stars” say you should do. Or perhaps you just trust your gut and do what feels right. These “fun” gifts cannot lead us to real joy, peace, comfort, or eternal life. Instead, they are a path away from God’s plan for our life. Only God’s gift of the Bible will guide and direct us to the right path. Are we utilizing this gift? Are we reading the Bible? The Bible is the perfect size, the perfect fit, and the perfect answer to meet every need.
Now that I am older, I find my favorite gifts are things I really need. God provides the gifts we need. Our Savior, Jesus, is the best gift God has ever given. The gift of the Bible provides direction to find life and know what God wants us to do, just like the angel’s gift provided direction to Joseph.
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