“For God so loved the world that he gave…” (John 3:16a).
The nature of God is to give. Giving is living. I am always amazed at how we can be living a ho-hum, mundane good Christian life just doing our own thing, and after being engaged in an active outreach to benefit other people, we come away from the occasion saying, “I feel so much better!” The recipients were to be the ones to benefit, but low and behold, it is the givers who seem to be the elated ones. Many times I have seen people come off a first-time mission trip with a transformed life. They have a whole new perspective of life after stepping through the barriers and giving out to others freely. And it does not have to be a mission trip. Just to reach out to someone in need and offer some time, a smile, and an expression of care, not only benefits the recipient, but it releases a flow of goodness in the giver that cannot be found in any other way. 
Giving won’t get you into heaven. Only faith in the blood of Jesus can open the gates of heaven for you. But giving can sure help you to experience a little heaven on earth by giving you just a taste of the nature of God operating in your life here and now. That is why it is fun to give at Christmas time. It is fun to share in the nature of God.
“For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life” (John 3:16b).
God’s nature is to give his best for the good of all. God’s expression of care toward mankind is the most priceless gift that has ever been given. God gave his Son as the full and complete provision so that every person ever born can have the way to live in his presence for all eternity! That is awesome! Don’t let any messed up misguided thinking cause you to miss God’s great gift to you! It is for your Merry Christmas for all eternity! No matter how “commercialized” Christmas may become, it’s what you make out of it that counts. It’s a wonderful opportunity to step through the barriers and reach out to give to others and share in God’s nature of “giving is living.”
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