Loving The Gift More Than The Giver
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James 4:1 What is the source of quarrels and conflicts among you? Is not the source your pleasures that wage war in your members? 2 You lust and do not have; so you commit murder. You are envious and cannot obtain; so you fight and quarrel. You do not have because you do not ask. 3 You ask and do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, so that you may spend it on your pleasures.
The gift giving season is upon us. You’re a loving dad whose love for your child propels you to give him or her the latest and greatest X Crate 9000 video game with all the bells and whistles. It has VR, AI, and even EI, EI, O. Your kid becomes the envy of the block. You get a big hug. Love is everywhere.
A couple of weeks pass and you can’t remember the last conversation you had with your kid. Finally, one day at the supper table, your kid comes to you, wanting to talk.
“Dad, thanks for that most excellent X Crate 9000. Johnny, down the street, liked it so much, he talked his dad into getting him one. Only, it’s the 9500 version. And they have fiber optic instead of DSL.
Based upon what we’ve seen, how likely are you to get your kid the upgrade? You want to give him nice things but the nicer the the things, the less you hear from him. That wonderful gift turned into a wall between you.
I know that I’ve been guilty of loving the gift more than the giver. How about you?
Father, You are The Giver of good things. Thank you for blessing us, caring for our every need. Forgive us for loving the gift more than You.