The Art of Re-Gifting

We've all received those gifts at Christmas...  you know, the tie that was in style 20 years ago, the velvet Elvis picked up on the corner lot, or the item that is... well, you're not sure what it is.  What do we do with those gifts ?  We open them and joyously (through clenched frozen smiles) let the giver know how thankful we are.  Then after the celebration is over, we return to our homes, and tuck the "prized possession" up in the closet, never to be seen again.  Or, are they.

Some people are talented in the art of re-gifting.  I've even heard of families that pass around the same gift year after year to see who is stuck with it for the next year.  Do people re-gift new cars ?  Probably not.  Do they re-gift diamond rings ?  Not usually.  Why not ?  People want to keep gifts like that.  They find value in that gift for themselves.

I'm not all that good at re-gifting.  As a matter of fact, I've never done it.  So this year I'm going to try my hand at it.  It's not that the gift is of little value.  On the contrary, there is nothing to match it's worth.  Of course I'm speaking of the gift of Jesus as read in John 3:16.  This is the gift meant to be shared, meant to be re-gifted.  It is a gift for ALL of us.  The whole world.  Although Christmas is over, the reason to celebrate is not.  And perhaps it sounds odd that someone would re-gift something of the greatest value to them.  But that is what I intend to do.  I will practice the fine art of re-gifting...  the one gift I just can't keep for myself.


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