Matthew 2:10-11 – When they saw the star, they were overjoyed. On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold and of incense and of myrrh. (NIV)

If there's one thing that I've learned when I am in the corral cleaning up, whether it be summer or winter, it's to be deliberately conscious of my step, for the corral is fraught with perils. Brush, broken branches, rock, and uneven ground abound. Horses and goats break down pretty much anything in their path, and so the landscape of the corral is ever changing. If I don't deliberately choose to watch my step, falls and injuries can happen quickly and easily.

As I was contemplating this thought the other day when I was out there cleaning up, the Lord nudged me a bit farther in regard to being deliberately conscious of my step as His servant, each and every day. That's when the idea of the everyday Christmas gift floated to the surface of my mind. I thought, What if, every day in the new year, I deliberately chose consciously to do something nice, to give an everyday Christmas gift to someone? What if I actually put it on my to-do list each morning and then followed through? How might such a deliberate and conscious choice make a difference for Christ in the lives of others?

Our world is fraught with perils. People around us are always struggling or suffering in one way or another, and none of us always knows what they are going through — but God does.

Therefore, I have decided that in 2017, with God as my helper, I will give an everyday Christmas gift to someone, somewhere. Perhaps the gift will take the shape of a letter of encouragement or a "Thinking of You" card. Perhaps it will be a small handmade gift, or a baked item, or money. Perhaps it will be a conscious prayer, or it could be a phone call to see how someone is doing, or an invitation for tea — I really don't know. But God does. Because He does, I know that, as I pray and listen each day, the everyday Christmas gift that He has for me to pass on to another will make a difference in someone's life, somewhere, for Him. For much like the wise men's gifts, they, too, will be treasures for the King. What better gift could you or I offer to the King of kings and Lord of lords this Christmas season!

Prayer: Father God, thank You that each day, as Your children, we have the best Christmas gift ever. We have the gift of Christ and all His love, wisdom, strength, and glory in our lives. Help us, therefore, to deliberately and consciously choose to share Him with others every day in the coming year, as You lead and direct us. In the wonderful name of Jesus, we pray. Amen.

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About the author:

Lynne Phipps <lynnephippsatlin@gmail.com>
Tawatinaw, Alberta, Canada
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