Last year my son Jax was helping my wife pack shoe boxes for Operation Christmas Child. Like most kids, Jax’s curiosity knows no bounds and therefore his questions know no end. As they were packing the boxes, he asked my wife, “Mom, if Santa goes all around the world giving presents to all the kids why do we have to pack boxes of presents for some kids? Does Santa not give them gifts?”
Crickets……Thinking……Thinking……..Well Jax…….Change of subject!!
Suddenly, the reality set in that “Christmas magic” had its limitations. The generosity of the jolly old elf could only go so far. It could only explain so much. Santa’s limitations were easily exposed by the single question of an innocent child. But more than that, the question revealed the very real reality that there are many people, adults and children alike, that go with out on Christmas. As well as the other 364 days of the year.
When my wife told me this story, I found myself both saddened and encouraged. I was sad my young son was having to wrestle with the heavy fact that there are kids like him that go with out, not knowing the reason why. On the other hand, I was encouraged that he was wrestling like this, because it revealed his compassion for others that was taking his heart far beyond, “As long as Santa comes down my chimney!”
We can have the debate about if we should tell our kids the truth about Santa another time. In our home, we believe that the imaginative and magical moments that come with the Santa story are fun and healthy for our children. But this isn’t the purpose of this post.
This post is about generosity. There is and forever will be a never-ending need for ever increasing amounts of generosity. As Mark 14:7 says, “For you will always have the poor with you, and whenever you want, you can do good for them.” It is our responsibility to be intentional and lavish in our generosity. Not just at Christmas, but all the time. There is a Trans-Siberian Orchestra (TSO for you true fans) song called Old City Bar that says:
If you want to arrange it
This world, you can change it
If we could somehow
Make this Christmas thing last
By helping a neighbor
Or even a stranger
To know who needs help,
You need only just ask
The truth is that generosity must extend beyond the month of December. Every day we need to be seeking and asking how we can be generous to our neighbor, whether they be next door or on the other side of the world. Generosity is a foundation of a worthwhile legacy.
So, let’s get back to the story with Jax and my wife. Although an immediate answer wasn’t given, there is an ongoing answer that we continue to share with Jax, as well as our other two kids. Generosity is an individual responsibility. We cannot and should not rely on others, even Santa Clause, to be a blessing and meet the needs of others. We should be constantly looking for opportunities where we can be a blessing ourselves, whether it be through packing a shoe box, buying some groceries, or lending an ear to listen and a shoulder to cry on. A legacy of generosity has, at its core, a deep desire to contribute beyond yourself for the benefit of others.
The perfect example of this is Christ. The Christmas season is a celebration of the pinnacle of generosity in Jesus choosing to come to earth as a man to give the gift of salvation and reconciliation. Yet, Jesus’ generosity began long before and continues to exist long past that night in a manger in Bethlehem. Jesus embodies all that generosity should be. May we strive in our daily lives to be more like him.
Because generosity matters just as legacies matter.
