As I write this, my home is looking less and less like Christmas. The outside lights have been unplugged, and the nativity has been packed away. The presents from under the tree have made their way to shelves, dresser drawers, and closets; some gifts might even be going back to the store. In a few short days, all the evidence of the holiday season will be out of sight until next year.
In the process of packing away this recent holiday season, I discovered some “thing” and something about myself. The thing I found was a pair of pants packed away with the tags still on them. It was a present from many years ago - in fact, so many years ago that neither my wife nor I could remember the year or occasion the pants were received. Upon finding this unused “gift” from the past, I had to face the truth that I have left other gifts unused also. Many times over the years I have found shirts and pants in dresser drawers and storage totes, still in their original packaging.
I genuinely enjoyed receiving those gifts, and was equally delighted to unwrap each of them. But not all were put to use. Some, as I have already admitted, were stored away in “time capsule” fashion. Having said that, the uncomfortable question “Why?” comes to mind. The painfully honest answer is that as much as I loved receiving and opening the gifts, I wasn’t too thrilled with some of the gifts themselves – especially if they happened to be clothing. I liked my old wardrobe and rationalized that the new clothing wasn’t my style or that it didn’t fit. The former was mostly true; they weren’t my style. But as to the clothes not fitting, I never really knew - I didn’t even try them on.
In the midst of getting honest about my receiving, opening, and not wearing gifts from friends and family, God reminded me that this applies to His generosity as well. I am realizing that God, in every occasion, is always providing gifts to His children. This realization causes me to look for His gifts and ask the following questions: When I see His gifts, do I receive and open them? If I receive and open them, do I use His gifts, or more to the point, do I wear His gifts? I am compelled to ask this last question because God, through the Apostle Paul, exhorts us to be done with our old wardrobe and put on His new gift.
But now is the time to get rid of anger, rage, malicious behavior, slander, and dirty language. Don’t lie to each other, for you have stripped off your old sinful nature and all its wicked deeds. Put on your new nature, and be renewed as you learn to know your Creator and become like Him. (Col. 3:8-10, emphasis mine)
This new nature from God is an amazing gift. We are to receive it, open it, and put it on! If we do, more gifts come. We get renewed. We get to know Him. And as if that wasn’t enough, God teaches and transforms us to become like Him! This new nature that God has given me is not my style and has clashed with everything in my old “wardrobe.” That’s actually a really good thing, considering my former “style.” Better yet, when I put the new nature on, I find it is a perfect fit. You’ll find that too.
Happy New Year and Grace to You.
Dave Paukner
