Christmas Shopping for the "Tough One" on Your List

Are there one or two people on your list that are really hard to buy for? They either have everything, or never like what we give them,

That used to be my mother. For many years, my mother was a single parent who did everything in her power to protect my brother and me from some of the problems she suffered. She did her best, but never knew when to stop once we were adults. What resulted was emotional distance, resentments that built over time, and the sacrifice of a true, loving relationship with each other.

Until God intervened. And thankfully, He did. I was reading my Bible one morning and found Prov. 3: vs. 3. “Let Love and faithfulness never leave you. Bind them on the tablet of your heart.”

Was I loving and faithful toward my mother? The answer was NO! I realized that my resentful feelings toward her were against God’s will.

And so I prayed, “Lord, I’m willing, but you’ve got to help me love her.” It wasn’t easy, let me tell you, but He did it in miraculous ways. She’s 97 today and has Alzheimer’s disease, and I’m excited about bringing her a Christmas gift soon. Because God helped me learn to love her, we’ve enjoyed a great relationship for almost 40 years.

This Christmas, is there someone like that on your list? It’s amazing how God who so loved the world that He His only son for us, can also give us the love we need for others.