Christmas is a wonderful time of year. Carols fill the airwaves, pine and spruce trees spring up in living rooms, and little kids behave extra nicely…to hedge their bets with Santa. Malls fill with shoppers looking for that perfect gift for someone they love (and for their boss so they can get a nice Christmas bonus).
These are all nice things and all of these traditions have historically been associated with and motivated by love, kindness and generosity. But I often wonder if we’re getting so distracted by the parties and dinners and decorations and presents that we’re missing the point of Christmas on an important level.
What is Christmas really about? That might be the most important question. A question that, perhaps, ought to trump all the other holiday questions like “What color lights should I put on my house?” or “Should we have ham or turkey this year?“, or “Did I remember to get the batteries for my son’s new toy?”
The greatest Christmas gift was given to this world about 2000 years ago when God The Father gave His Only Begotten Son to an undeserving world.
What was God saying with that gift?
That’s a question that I think is worthy of some deep consideration. Taking some time to reflect on that question can result in some amazing insights and blessings in our lives.
And if we wanted to celebrate that gift how would we do it? Well, by giving gifts certainly. That’s where the Christmas gift-giving tradition came from after all.
But what sorts of gifts might we give?
That’s another question worthy of some deep consideration.
Every year, I get caught up in the gift-buying frenzy of modern Christmas. And every year I wish it were different. Now, I’m not saying that buying a stuffed dinosaur for your little fellow isn’t wonderful. My little one-year-old grandson John T. is getting one. He picked it himself. When his Mommy was shopping in the store he grabbed it off the shelf with a squeal of delight and growled at it and hugged it tightly. And he’ll be just as excited to growl at it and hug it when he opens it on Christmas morning. There’s nothing wrong with giving those sorts of gifts.
When The Lord created this world, He gave us all sorts of gifts like that. He gave us puppies and kittens and gold and diamonds and cute little goats and nutmeg so we could make eggnog. He did that because He loves us. And it probably makes Him just as happy when we coo over a pretty flower or smile after biting into a delicious apple as it makes us to see Little John T. squeal with delight when he unwraps his new, stuffed dinosaur friend. So, I don’t think we need to feel badly for buying presents for folks we love as part of our Christmas celebration.
But I do think we do well to reverence and try to reflect, in our own gift giving, the principle embodied by that greatest of gifts. And what is that principle? That He loves us.
He was willing to descend from a throne of glory to spend time with us in a weary world.
He was willing to spend time with us. He was willing to bear us up and comfort us one by one. A reading of the gospels, reveals that almost every miracle was done one-on-one with some individual, struggling soul. Can you imagine? The God of Heaven coming to Earth to daub some clay onto a blind man’s eyes? The Savior of the world, on His way to raise a little girl from the dead, stopping in his tracks in a huge crowd to turn around and find a women who had touched the hem of His garment and been healed so that He could show her that she was precious and that He loved her and to spend a moment to teach her about the power of faith? The King of Kings and Lord of Lords walking down a dusty road and stopping to talk with a leper and to touch him and make him clean?
So what gifts can we give to emulate such beautiful offerings? Well, maybe we could do more healing. We can do that with herbs of course (I know a guy that can help you with that). But, more importantly, maybe we do it by taking some time to listen. Maybe we do it by showing someone, through moments of kind attention, that they are precious and loved. Maybe we slow down our crazy lives a bit and pick up the phone and call someone that’s lonely or sad. Maybe we make real changes in our priorities so that we can be a blessing to others. Maybe we really commit to making someone really see how much we love them. Not just with a stuffed dinosaur or diamond earrings or a really nice fishing pole; but with a real change of heart and a real commitment to love and serve them.
It wasn’t the clay that made the blind man see. It wasn’t Jesus’ cloak that healed the ailing woman. It wasn’t a word or a touch that cleansed the leper. It was the love of God. As His children, we have the potential to connect with and exercise a portion of that love. I don’t think there is anything that Jesus would rather get for His birthday, than for us to reflect His love by loving and caring for others.
That would make the merriest Christmas of all.
Merry Christmas and may God bless you all!
Patrick Jones
HomeGrown Herbalist School of Botanical Medicine
Thanks Doc, for all the good gifts you have given us last year and before that. And thanks for being a voice for Truth and Love in all the chaos of holidaying.
Love to you all, have a very blessed Christmas. ❤️
Amen!
Thanks for this Doc Jones. May you and your family have a blessed Christmas too.
Thanks Doc Jones for one of the best sermons I’ve heard, and from a vet! I’m going to call a friend I know who will be alone this Christmas since all her family is gone. If I were home I’d invite her over.
Beautifully said, Doc!!! Thank you for sharing. May God bless you and yours this wonderful season and throughout the new year.
Thank you Doc Jones for all the advice, experience, training, laughs,and mostly the love that you spread around. May you and your very large family (wow) have a BLESSED CHRISTMAS!
Thank you. I’m sharing this with my sons, along with a few words I had written to each of them. You have a much better way with words, and 20 somethings tend to listen to others more than their mom.
You are a valued, and priceless gift the Lord has shared with me, and I thank Him for you, daily. May you and your family have a truly Blessed Christmas.
Thank you and Merry Christmas to you and your family.
Thank you, Doc Jones, for reminding me that faith can move mountains and the love of God conquers all.
Merry Christmas to you and your families, and may God richly bless you all!
And let all of us students of yours use your lessons to benefit others this Christmas even more than the rest of the year. Bless you Doc.
Wonderful! Thank you also for sharing your gift of herbal knowledge with me. It has been a life changing experience.
That’s why we love you Doc Jones – because you bring us back to the true creator who gave us these wonderful plants to use for the benefits of healing ourselves and others.
May you and yours have an abundantly blessed Christmas and New Year!
Your post was a powerful reflection on the true meaning of Christmas and gift giving. You are an inspiration, Doc Jones!
Merry Christmas to you and your family. May God Bless you all in the coming year.
Thank you for those blessed thoughts. Best gift I can give is sending a card to someone I haven’t talked to in a while and saying I’m sorry for not keeping in touch. God bless and may your Christmas be full of heartfelt memories.
Thank you Doc Jones! I just love learning from you and love how you always present things for ease of understanding and bring it back to God the Father. Merry Christmas to you and your family!
Well said, young man. One of the best sermons I’ve read. May you and yours be blessed, so you all can continue to be a blessing.
Thank you for this beautiful reminder, Doc. The love expressed in this article made me cry. May we all love as we have been loved by the Father, who gave his only begotten son for us!
Loved this. At this time of the year, some of us are so stressed, both by life, and also added stress of making things perfect for others. As it so happens, I am superstreessed right now (lots going on) to the point, I have gotten sick, the doc says allergies, but I think more since hubby now has it also. Anyway, so stressed I wasn’t even gonna read this today, so blessed and grateful I changed my mind, thank you for your words of laughter and wisdom. May we all seek to carry Christmas in our heart throughout the year.
Amen Doc!
I was thinking the same thing… I think God is working in many hearts… and I know so many widows this year… I am thankful for a teacher who loves the Lord!
Merry Christmas to you and your family, Doc Jones! Thank you for changing lives and moving hearts, toward gratitude in the spirit of giving. The Lord’s blessings to you and those you love, at Christmas and throughout the new year.
Amen!
For God so loved the world that He gave His One and only begotten Son, that whosoever believes on Him will not die but have everlasting life. How profound, and like King David said, what is man that You are mindful of him? Such extreme, extravagant love the Father showed us in sending Jesus, and yes Doc, let us emulate our Lord and love not merely in word but in deed. Merry Christmas to you and your family! Merry Christmas to you all and May blessings abound 🙌
God bless you and your family Doc Jones. Merry Christmas.
Beautifully written! Merry Christmas to you and your family!
Merry Christmas! May we each be a beacon of love, hope and joy reflecting God coming to us! Emmanuel!
Thank you for sharing this beautiful reminder!
Amen well said , so glad I found you. I knew I had found the right guy when I realized you’re a believer also. Merry Christmas to you and your family.
Amen! I wholeheartedly agree! Thank you for this reminder and for all you do:-) Merry Christmas!
Amen! Appreciate that you take a stand for our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.
Dr. Jones that was lovely and a timely reminder as to what the Christmas season (and the rest of the year!) is all about.
I am a new student and I’m looking forward to working with you.
Merry Christmas and many blessings,
TeresaSue
Beautiful! Thank you, and Merry Christmas!
Thanks so much, Doc! I have received emails about celebrating winter solstice today and I am learning that because I’m an herbalist, folks tend to think that I am interested in witchcraft and I find that so disappointing but more so, alarming. I am so thankful that my teacher is a man of God and professes his faith. Thank you again and Merry Christmas and God bless you and your family!
Thank you for this wonderful post. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to you and your family Doc.
Thank you Doc Jones, you are an inspiration. Thank you for pointing us in the right direction as Christmas approaches. Merry Christmas to you and your family
This is lovely Doc Jones! So much Truth too. Thank you so much for sharing your love (it comes through in all you do) and healing knowledge. Your blog and videos have meant so much to me along with opening my eyes to the healing power of our God created nature! Love to you and yours and a very Merry Christmas!
Praise the Lord for His Goodness and thank you and your whole family in serving us out here.
Thank you for a wonderful post! We need more like this.
Thank you Doc Jones. It has been another stressful year and the pressures of the season have gotten me down something awful this year. Your words are a reminder of what Christmas should be. I’m making a promise to myself that this WILL be the last year I allow myself to get caught in the commercialization. I have a whole year to prepare the grankids. 😊
Beautiful words, Doc! Thank you for sharing the love of our Lord and Savior with us. God bless you and yours in the coming year!
Beautiful!
I am reading this in the middle of January, and am so warmed and inspired by this exhortation of God’s love. It is a weary world, but, less so with faith brought to action through our Lord. Well said!!
Just read this for the first time, and it’s May (although come to think of it, it did snow here yesterday). And it is just as true as when you wrote it, as truth holds over time. Thank you for the reminder to put hands and feet to it.