I have an adult nephew (35 years old) who is married, with two daughters (ages 9 and 7). A few years ago his church announced that it was wrong to exchange gifts at Christmas. Claimed it took away from the true meaning of Christmas. As such, his girls no longer get gifts at Christmas. I feel really bad for them. This guy has a good heart, but is making a huge mistake. Your kids only get one childhood. I feel bad because one day he'll wake up and realize that it was a mistake to rob these kids of Christmas.
I need some advice. Should I talk to the guy and try to change his mind? If so, what should I say?
I would consider taking him aside and talking with him. You can use whatever I write here to put together something coherent to say and scriptures to share . I would just keep it reasonable.
Well dose he want to throw the baby out with the bath water ? His kids are going to start to wonder whats up, And you know who they are going to blame when they get older ? They are going to take it out on Christianity, possibly .
Is it wrong to given in God's name ? In Christ name ?
Psalm 37:21
King James Version
21 The wicked borroweth, and payeth not again: but the righteous sheweth mercy, and giveth.
Acts 20:35
King James Version (KJV)
35 I have shewed you all things, how that so labouring ye ought to support the weak, and to remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he said,
It is more blessed to give than to receive.
Matthew 10:42 "And whosoever shall give to drink unto one of these little ones a cup of cold water only in the name of a disciple, verily I say unto you, he shall in no wise lose his reward."
God knows even the glass of water given in His name. He sees even the least part that you take in the promotion of the gospel, and the helping of one of God's own, and God will reward you greatly for it. We will never out give our Heavenly Father, when it is given in the right way. Know the Word of God, and know it when it is taught. Get in the habit of checking out the teacher.
God gave people His greatest gift His only begotten son began to dwell with man during Christmas time. That gos without saying. And he can teach them that. But he can also give them things in Christ name also.
Maybe read him some more of these verses I pulled up from online:
2 Corinthians 9:7
7 Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver.
Matthew 2:11 - And when they were come into the house, they saw the young child with Mary his mother, and fell down, and worshipped him: and when they had opened their treasures,
they presented unto him gifts; gold, and frankincense, and myrrh.
Deuteronomy 15:10 "Thou shalt surely give him, and thine heart shall not be grieved when thou givest unto him: because that for this thing the Lord thy God shall bless thee in all thy works, and in all that thou puttest thine hand unto."
When you give to your brother to fill His needs, with a pure heart and mind, God is promising you that He will bless you for it. That is a promise that you as a Christian can count on. When you care for others and are willing to give to take care of their needs, than God will see to it that your needs will also be taken care of. God is promising that not only will this item of giving turn out to your favor, but everything else that you touch will turn out to your favor also. This is doing it God's way.
I kids seek love and attention and guidance. If the gift is given with a pure heart, showing the children love in Christ name, I believe giving this way accomplish this also.
Deuteronomy 16:17 "Every man shall give as he is able, according to the blessing of the Lord thy God which He hath given thee."
Matthew 26:
6 Now when Jesus was in Bethany, in the house of Simon the leper,
7 There came unto him a woman having an alabaster box of very precious ointment, and poured it on his head, as he sat at meat.
8 But when his disciples saw it, they had indignation, saying, To what purpose is this waste?
9 For this ointment might have been sold for much, and given to the poor.
10 When Jesus understood it, he said unto them, Why trouble ye the woman? for she hath wrought a good work upon me.
11 For ye have the poor always with you; but me ye have not always.
James 1:17 - Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.
( If our heavenly Father gives us gifts, why is it wrong to follow His example ? Should we not give gifts freely to at least our family and loved ones also ? )
Matthew 7:11-12
11 If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him?
12 Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them: for this is the law and the prophets.
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1 Chronicles 29:9
Then the people rejoiced because they had offered so willingly, for they made their offering to the Lord with a whole heart, and King David also rejoiced greatly.
Proverbs 3:27
Do not withhold good from those to whom it is due, when it is in your power to do it.
Proverbs 11:24-25
There is one who scatters, and yet increases all the more, and there is one who withholds what is justly due, and yet it results only in want. The generous man will be prosperous, and he who waters will himself be watered.
Proverbs 21:26
…the righteous gives and does not hold back.
Proverbs 22:9
He who is generous will be blessed, for he gives some of his food to the poor.
Proverbs 28:27
He who gives to the poor will never want, but he who shuts his eyes will have many curses.
Mark 12:41-44
And He sat down opposite the treasury, and began observing how the people were putting money into the treasury; and many rich people were putting in large sums. A poor widow came and put in two small copper coins, which amount to a cent. Calling His disciples to Him, He said to them, “Truly I say to you, this poor widow put in more than all the contributors to the treasury; for they all put in out of their surplus, but she, out of her poverty, put in all she owned, all she had to live on.”
Luke 3:11
And he would answer and say to them, “The man who has two tunics is to share with him who has none; and he who has food is to do likewise.”
Luke 6:30
Give to everyone who asks of you, and whoever takes away what is yours, do not demand it back.
Luke 6:38
Give, and it will be given to you. They will pour into your lap a good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over. For by your standard of measure it will be measured to you in return.
John 3:16
For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son, that whosoever believes in Him wouldn’t perish, but would have eternal life.
Acts 20:35
In everything I showed you that by working hard in this manner you must help the weak and remember the words of the Lord Jesus, that He Himself said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.
Romans 12:8
…Or he who exhorts, in his exhortation; he who gives, with liberality; he who leads, with diligence; he who shows mercy, with cheerfulness.
2 Corinthians 9:6-8
Now this I say, he who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. Each one must do just as he has purposed in his heart, not grudgingly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that always having all sufficiency in everything, you may have an abundance for every good deed.
2 Corinthians 9:10
Now He who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will supply and multiply your seed for sowing and increase the harvest of your righteousness;
Philippians 4:15-17
And you yourselves also know, Philippians, that at the first preaching of the gospel, after I departed from Macedonia, no church shared with me in the matter of giving and receiving but you alone; for even in Thessalonica you send a gift more than once for my needs. Not that I seek the gift itself, but I seek for the profit which increases to your account.
James 2:15-16
If a brother or sister is without clothing and in need of daily food, and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, be warmed and be filled,” and yet you do not give them what is necessary for their body, what use is that?
John 13:34
King James Version (KJV)
34 A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another.
What better time to show love for kids with giving them a gift, on the day God began to dwell on earth with man and women ?
We can teach them about Christ, but I see nothing wrong with giving a gift or two also.
