The Greatest Gift

Laughter filled the room as we shared food, stories, played games, and danced. There was joy and a sense of being fully present with one another. In that moment, it was easy to forget schedules, plans, and the challenges waiting for them outside that room. We were simply together.

Christmas is a time of giving. There is something deeply meaningful about thinking of someone and choosing a gift just for them. It becomes even more joyful when the gift is something the person truly loves, something that says, I know you.

More than 2,000 years ago, humanity received the greatest gift we will ever know. A costly gift, wrapped in a love unlike any other. God’s desire was not to remain distant or detached, but to be with us in the deepest way possible. The Father made His love known by coming near, through Jesus.

Jesus entered fully into the human story. He took on human life and lived the full human experience, from birth to death, and everything in between. He came to be Emmanuel, God with us. There is no dark place in life that Jesus does not understand. He knows suffering, loss, fear, and hope. He surrendered His life so that we might have life, freedom, and salvation.

He is the gift. Our greatest gift. One with such depth and meaning that we can spend our entire lives discovering it more fully.

And yet, in the busyness of the season, the sacredness of giving is often easy to miss.

This year, we received a beautiful gift. We began collaborating with the Afghan community. Over the past eight months, we have been growing our relationships through planning together, serving together, and learning alongside a group of children we never imagined would join our classes. This community has been a gift to our hearts. Their presence, their stories, and their deep care for one another remind us that gifts are not always wrapped or exchanged. Often, if not always, the greatest gifts are people. What began as English classes has grown into something sacred, shared joy, shared burdens, and a sense of belonging we now carry together.

As we celebrated Christmas with our new friends, we were reminded again of what it truly means to receive. To be with one another. To share a meal, a moment, a story. To embody Emmanuel, God with us, through presence, love, and community.

In the giving, we discovered we had received far more than we expected.