Gifts are for Relationship
This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. 1 John 4:9-10 (NIV)
A young refugee couple Adrian and Angie asked me to take them to a clinic. After I (K) left home I realized I forgot my phone but didn’t turn back, figuring it’s finally time to learn my way around Dallas without GPS. I felt ill prepared for this outing as I couldn’t figure out how to properly assemble carseats for their children. When I arrived, they told me their children were not coming. I felt relieved. Using Angie’s GPS we initially went to the wrong clinic, but arriving late was not a problem. The administrators were happy to have my help assisting this couple with translation and paperwork. In the waiting room we met another refugee man who works with Adrian at the meat-packing freezer. I helped him replace his dead car battery. As we were on our way home, Angie received a call from school because their children had missed the school bus home. We diverted to their school. Oops! We initially went to the wrong school.
After I spent 3 ½ hours with Adrian and Angie I was warmly touched by a gesture. In SE Asian cultures giving practical gifts is appropriate. I tried to leave before they could give it to me but they insisted I accept. I recall a Thai saying “you gave me a duck, I give you a chicken.” I needed to accept their generous gift to show them respect and dignity. Gifts have a way of building relationships. Solomon wrote “A man’s gift makes room for him….” (Proverbs 18:16 ESV). Every culture seems to value gift-giving. What is the gift’s purpose? I dare say one purpose is building the relationship. The more sacrificial the gift, the greater the love shown. My new friends gave to me sacrificially (over 2 hours of Adrian’s wages in cash). It so touched my heart. I’m looking forward to the day when I have the opportunity to share the greatest gift of all, through this budding relationship. God originated gift-giving since the creation and His climatic gift was Jesus, the Savior of those who believe.
