The Best Gift Giver (Part 1)

"An Equal or Lesser World"

"For my thoughts are not your thoughts,
Neither are your ways my ways,
declares the Lord.
For as the heavens are higher than the earth,
So are my ways higher than yours."

Isaiah 55:8-9

We live in an “equal or lesser” world. We are constantly restrained by these terms.

Don’t know what I’m talking about? We are presently in the season of gift giving which means the next season is just around the corner: the season of gift returning. If you have ever returned a gift, you know that it is an “equal or lesser” deal. You can exchange the gift you received for something of equal or lesser value, but never anything of greater value.

And how about those “Buy One Get One Free” coupons? Same deal. It doesn’t matter if you’re talking donuts or diamonds, you always have to buy the more expensive item in order to get the equal or lesser one free.

Our “equal or lesser” system isn’t limited to commerce either. There are many “equal or lesser” relationships out there. If you’re married, you’ve probably been there. Maybe you still are: “I’ll put into this marriage what I’m getting out. Nothing more, but maybe something less.”

That’s the way this world works. Because this world is always protecting and looking out for itself.

That’s its nature. Sadly, that’s often our nature as well.

But that’s not God’s nature. He operates in a “greater value” world. He never gives something of lesser value. Always something greater.

When it comes to His exchange policy, God is like the Cabela’s or Nordstrom of the heavenly realm. No receipt? No tags? No problem. Is it broken? Worn out? From a competitor? God’s got you covered.

You can take it from a satisfied customer. I had been sold a lot of faulty products in my years. Empty promises. Dead-end roads. Momentary pleasures. Selfish pursuits. Flawed thinking. Finite wisdom. Tainted love. Corrupted vision. Broken relationships. He took them all, no questions asked.

In exchange, he offered the bread of life, living water, enduring wisdom, extended family, never-ending life, eyes that see, and love that issues from a pure heart.

When you think about it, it only makes sense. This is the God who was willing to give his very self for you. Who left a throne in heaven to be born in a stable. Who set aside heavenly glory to take on human flesh. Who exchanged dominion and authority for dependency and diapers. And for what?!? For you.

Yes, for you. He loves you that much.

I don’t know about you, but a big part of me thinks that God is getting the short end of the stick on this deal. Of course, then there’s the other part of me that says, “His ways are not my ways, but God always knows what He’s doing.” And then I figure this is another page out of God’s playbook that I need to commit to memory: being willing to give the greater thing while receiving the lesser. And seeing people, who are created in God’s image, as having tremendous value.

Prayer: "Thank you, God, for being the best gift giver. Thank you for the priceless gift of your Son. Give me a heart that desires to give the greater thing, that I may be more like my heavenly Father and bring glory to you."

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"For God so loved the world that He gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through Him."

John 3:16-17

The One That Didn't Get Away

"Go to the sea and cast a hook and take the first fish that comes up, and when you open its mouth you will find a shekel. Take that and give it to them for me and for yourself."
Jesus speaking in Matthew 17:27

We all tend to have favorite passages in the Bible. Whether they tug at our heartstrings or leave us a bit perplexed, they appeal to us for some reason. I can’t tell you why, but I have always liked the story of the fish with the coin in its mouth. Maybe it’s because it is unlike any other story of Jesus.

For those who may be unfamiliar with this passage, it is found at the end of Matthew 17. Jesus and his followers are returning to the town of Capernaum (their primary stomping grounds) when some tax collectors from the Temple approach Peter. Doesn’t sound good, does it? They want to know if Jesus is going to be paying the temple tax. Peter replies in the affirmative, but I get the sense he was a little unsettled about the whole situation. Maybe that’s because the next thing Peter does is go and find Jesus.

In typical Jesus style, he doesn’t wait for Peter to raise the issue, Jesus does it himself. Jesus explains that he will be submitting to the authorities by paying the tax, but it will come about by rather unusual means. This was one of those times where being a follower of Jesus was really going to pay off. Jesus tells Peter to grab a fishing pole and head down to the Sea of Galilee. The first fish he catches will have a coin in its mouth. Did you catch that (excuse the pun)? Wherever Peter decides to cast his line into the sea, he will pull out a fish with a coin in its mouth. And it’s not just any coin, but a coin capable of paying the tax for both Jesus and Peter.

Now Peter had seen some pretty amazing things during his time with Jesus. Loaves and fish multiplied to feed thousands of people. Jesus walking on water and calming stormy seas. People born blind receiving sight. Cripples walking. But I have to believe that this one kind of took the cake.

I can sense the anticipation in Peter’s mind. “I’ve been fishing for years and have caught a lot of fish in my day. Nets full of them as a matter of fact. And I’ve heard some pretty tall fishing tales, but nothing quite like this. No one is going to believe this one.” I wonder if he took any witnesses with him. One thing I’m guessing: he was a little short of breath by the time he reached the shoreline.

So what is this story all about anyway? Some of you are probably thinking, “That’s a nice fairytale for kids, but c’mon already.” I have to admit… I have wondered for quite some time what the point was. It just seems so strange to me. But I suppose that a God who created this universe with untold galaxies could get a little bored with the mundane of our day-to-day existence. So, Jesus decides to raise the challenge factor a little. Yet the point of the story remains a question…

Things started getting interesting when I looked into this tax Matthew talks about. It was originally put into place in Exodus 30 for the maintenance of the Israelites’ tent of meeting – their place of worship. This was a mere 1400 years before Peter’s talk with Jesus. If Peter was anything like me, he had no idea of the origin of this tax. I can’t keep track of all the different taxes I pay, not to mention remember what the original intent was. I sometimes wonder if anyone remembers the original intent of some of our taxes. Whether Peter understood or remembered I can’t say, but I promise you that Matthew understood it when he chose to include this passage in his Gospel.

You see, payment of this tax is described in Exodus as both a “ransom” and “atonement” for the life of an individual. The life of every adult in the nation of Israel was to be ransomed through payment of this tax. Jesus was communicating below the surface, but it was communication some were bound to understand. Jesus was telling Peter that he was willing to pay his ransom. He would provide not only for himself, but for Peter’s payment as well.

There are some conditions though, aren’t there? Peter’s life would be atoned for under two simple conditions: believing Jesus and putting his words into action – in this case going fishing.

This is the heart of the Gospel, is it not? Jesus has provided the payment for our ransom. He has made atonement for our lives. For our imperfections. For our offenses. All we have to do is follow Peter’s example: believe Jesus and act like he meant what he said.

I’m convinced that if Peter had lived in our day, he would have taken this fish to a taxidermist and proudly displayed it on his wall. What an excellent conversation piece to share the story of his redemption through Christ.

Like Peter, we all have a story. The story of discovering the ransom for our souls. So share your story and pass the wealth around this Christmas season.

"But we have this treasure in jars of clay, to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us." 2 Corinthians 4:7