What’s Under Your Tree?

So, my very dear friends, don’t get thrown off course. Every desirable and beneficial gift comes out of heaven. The gifts are rivers of light cascading down from the Father of Light.

James 1:16-17 – The Message version of the Bible

The Prodigy

His talent level was totally through the roof. I had never heard anything like it. When he played, I would just put my guitar down and listen. It was a surreal experience to be in that room – to bask in the incredible melodies and harmonies that poured from that piano.

You see, Raphael was a prodigy. By the age of eighteen, Raphael had won a national competition and he had even turned down a recording contract from CBS records to go to med school. He had an incredible gift from God, and he had worked very hard at honing that gift into something truly special.

One day, Raphael and I were having a good, deep, conversation. I brought up the difference between my guitar playing and his piano playing. I pointed out that he was in a totally different musical league than anyone I had ever known. I will never forget his reply.

“Greg, where is my gift from?”

“Well, it is from God,” I replied.

“Right!” He questioned, “So, where is your gift from?”

 I stammered, “Well… uh… ummm, it is from God too!”

I got it. I really did. Raphael was pointing out in his usual humble manner that we were equal in God’s eyes. We both had a good gift from our Father. My gift wasn’t any worse than Raphael’s at all; it was just different. Although I had played guitar since I was nine years old, I had never had any formal training of any kind, except for the School-of-Hard-Knocks. As a result, my gift wasn’t quite as polished as his… but, did it make any difference in God’s eyes? No.

Raphael understood a lot more about music than I did, but he also understood something else that I didn’t – He understood that God gives good gifts and only good gifts.

Oh Christmas Tree

Being legally blind and legally deaf does limit my activities somewhat, but I can still do a lot of things. I love writing and recording new songs and I still do a few tech things on my computer. Although I can’t read much myself now, just yesterday I managed to solve some of the problems that have been preventing me from enjoyably listening to my computer read some things to me. This should enable me to get at a lot more documentation and articles again.

I have some cool gifts! I know where they are from, and I love to do the best I can do with what I have.

I know that there are still some very interesting gifts under my tree that I haven’t really opened and discovered yet.

In the past few years, I have been encouraged to try my hand at writing. It has been a lot of fun and very rewarding. I hope I can improve and refine my skills as I go along. Maybe I can even write a book!!

What about you? What’s under your tree? Is there something all pretty and wrapped up that you haven’t opened yet?

What about those “old” gifts thrown in the corner over there? Why not pick them up and reboot those things that God gave you so you can put them to good use?

This is a time of gift-giving. The most important gifts we have to give are from the Gift-Giver (His name is not Santa) and they have been given to us to generously give away again in love.

Sometimes, the very best gifts can’t be wrapped in paper and string.

• Remember where your gifts came from.
• Remember, they are good!
• Don’t leave anything under the tree or in the corner this year.
• Pass them around so everyone else can get in on them too!

All the best to you and yours this Christmas!!!