The Gift That Never Stops Giving

Do you remember all of the silly questions and jokes we would make as kids?

“Why did the chicken cross the road?” “How many licks does it take to get to the center of a tootsie pop?” And my personal favorite: “If you had one wish, what would you wish for?” Some wise guy would always answer, “Unlimited wishes.” We would either be in awe at the pure genius of that answer or - once we’d heard this response one too many times - we’d emphatically respond, “That’s not allowed!”

Unlimited wishes were the life-hack response to trying to decide what ONE thing you would want if you could have anything in the world.

Unlimited wishes were the gift that kept on giving.

But it doesn’t take long for kids to grow up and realize that’s not realistic… and you’ll probably never encounter a magic genie in the first place.

As we look toward Christmas, as we feel the joy of this Advent season, expecting the greatest gift of all - Jesus Christ - I can’t help but wonder if the arrival of the Messiah has some similarities to the answer we dreamed up as kids. Yes, Jesus is the “gift” that this season celebrates.

But Jesus isn’t just a gift . He’s the gift that never stops giving.

I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.

- John 15:5

Christ is the vine - our source of connection and life that comes from the Father. Because of the vine, we find abundance, freedom, grace, and fruit. Because Jesus came, we don’t have to WORK our way to God. Instead, all we do is stay focused on and connected to the vine, and Jesus does all of the work for us. We simply remain in him, and he continues to grow, forgive, and deepen his connection with us. Sometimes the “remaining” is challenging; sometimes we have to submit to God’s will, let go of our sins, and preach the Gospel to ourselves every single day. But even in the hard and messy moments, Jesus is the one doing the work on our behalf.

The gift of Christmas isn’t a one-time answer to the needs of hurting people. It’s access to the vine, the gift that keeps on giving… to “unlimited wishes.”

And this metaphor certainly breaks down because the wishes aren’t about what we want - it’s about what God wants to do in us. But that’s what makes this gift even better. Our own wishes are foolish - a fancier car, a million dollars, the perfect body. All things that will fade away. But instead, the vine cultivates in us things that are eternal. Gifts and blessings and growth that come from God alone, and bring the only true satisfaction we could have.

This Christmas, there might be parts of you that are longing for more. More gifts, more wishes, more money, more love, more hope, more joy. More worldly things that won’t truly satisfy you.

But we can find the greatest joy in knowing that when we turn to the true reason for the season, we will find the gift that never stops giving.

We’ll find a vine with unlimited power to bring us eternal love and satisfaction. Not by our world’s standards, but more importantly by God’s standards.

Stop looking for genies, or Santas, or more of the worldly things that hurt you in the first place. Instead, look to Jesus. Remain in the vine. Let him prune and shape and mold you. And receive the eternal gifts that never stop giving. They’re a lot less flashy, with a lot fewer price tags and Instagram-worthy moments. But, once you’ve experienced the gift of connection with Jesus, the wishes you had before will pale in comparison to the joy of knowing your Savior.

Don’t let the world lie to you. He is the best gift you will ever receive.

Cristina Schmitter

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