The Perfect Gift: Love

We returned home from our trip late in the evening. Some of our dear friends, the Harlins, found out when we would be arriving. They went into our home, turned up the heat, turned on our Christmas lights, and set up a Nativity on our table. The table was also covered in cut out snowflakes, and Christmas music was playing in the background. It was a lovely way to come home after a long trip. It was so much more pleasant than entering a dark, lifeless, home.

It was such a sweet gift.

If I were to pan up my camera to the left of the Nativity, you would have seen the residue of the eggs that had been thrown at our home. (It was the back of our house.) A hard, thick, frozen, gooey mess, covered the windows. It seemed the target was our back door.

My heart sunk as I surveyed the scene.

There I stood in my home, in the middle of two different kinds of acts. One act was of endearing kindness from thoughtful friends. The other, well, I am not sure what feelings were going on in the hearts of the egg-holders, but I think it is safe to say that kindness was not stirring in their hearts.

I stood there between my windows covered in frozen eggs, and the Nativity. My eyes became fixed on the baby Jesus, as I tried to workout my feelings.

I considered all that Jesus had endured in His life. He was treated so cruelly throughout His life on Earth, by the same people who He came to save. I considered that all He did, all that He endured, He did it for me, and for you. Because He loves us. He loves us so much. He was filled with such love, that even in the moment of so much pain and agony -- as He was dying upon the cross -- He cried out, "Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do."

I have often wondered how He could be so forgiving in such a moment. But as I have grown, and as I have learned, I have discovered the answer. The answer is: Love. Jesus is love. He is so consumed with love for us, that there is no room for any of the other less desirable qualities that can stir in the heart. Love is power. The pure love of Christ is the most powerful thing in the world. It is also the crowning requirement to return to live with our Heavenly Father.

As I looked at baby Jesus, my heart filled with this love. I felt bad for whoever it was that felt the need to egg a widow's house. That night our family prayed for them. One of the children prayed that they would feel bad for what they did, and never do it again, so that they would not have to feel bad again.

This season, allow the gift of Christ's love to fill your heart. We have all been caught with "eggs" in our hands at some point. We all make mistakes, we have all done unkind things, we all have the need for forgiveness, and compassion. Jesus is there to help us wash away the untidy residue of our mistakes; even if the residue is crusted on -- maybe even frozen -- hard in our hearts. His love can conquer all. His love can wash away the really gritty stuff; the stuff that doesn't want to come off.

This season, fill your heart with love.

It is the best gift you can give, and the best gift you can receive.