Entitlement

The Christmas season brings a mixed sort of feelings to me. And this Christmas in particular has hit me in such a strange sort of way. I LOVE to give gifts, I love to deliver and arrange for gifts for people that don't have much for their children. But this season, I have been struck by the sense of entitlement that people feel. That people are entitled to gifts for Christmas, entitled to free things and getting as much as they can. People so willing to take anything they can get their greedy hands on, without offering so much as a "Thank You."

What has caused this? I have no idea. The commercialization of Christmas? But I am just as responsible for that as anybody. I rush out to get my kids the biggest and best present, anything that they asked for, and what does that teach them? But I hope that as they grow up, I can teach them about being grateful. About what a gift really is. A gift is not something you are entitled to. It's something that someone gave you because they love you or cared for you or in repayment for how you have touched their lives. And that goes for all year round, not just as Christmas time.

Christmas is about gifts...the biggest gift of all...when God sent his son, gave his Son for us. The reason for the season...is so cliche', but so true. God gave us his son to save us, because he loves us so much, he cared for us so much. Not because we were entitled to it. Have a Merry Christmas!