Vera marched to my office and with a head tilt and a sigh, held up a yellow stretchy man toy, a pen in the shape of a panda, and a geometric Rubik’s cube type of thing covered in triangular spikes. “These”, she huffed, “are items that were in the goody bags of this conference I just attended.” I laughed and shook my head. “Exactly!” she said, rolling her eyes and dumping the items into a box marked “door prizes” that we both share an unspoken disdain for. And with an exhale of mild disgust, she marched back to her office. While I didn’t say much, I tend to agree with Vera. I don’t like trinkets, knick-knacks, or items that remind me of Kid’s Meal toys.
Are you familiar with the 5 love languages? If you know me, you will know that I am a quality time person for sure. I like spending time in the presence of those I like, love, and respect. It doesn’t really even matter what we are doing. Wanna make my day? Keep me company while I am housecleaning, grocery shopping, or gardening. You don’t have to help me with my tasks, just be there and chat with me.
I’m sure I sound like a codependent wacko to the folks who prefer a few text messages of encouragement from their spouse during the day (words of affirmation), to the person who gives you a great big, long, sometimes uncomfortable bear hug when you see them in church on Sunday morning (physical touch), or that friend who feels so blessed when you do their grocery shopping for them until they can get used to the nursing schedule of their brand new bundle of joy (acts of service).
All of our love languages are valuable and they speak to certain gifts that God has given us as described in Romans 12:3-8. But I digress, it is the folks that value gifts that prompted this post. I don’t like gifts. Please don’t give me anything. Well, actually it is not that I don’t like gifts. I don’t like stuff that I don’t have a purpose for or isn’t attached to a memory. I hate it when salespeople visit my office and bring me cookies, that obligatory birthday or Christmas gift, or when someone says they were thinking of me and gives me some knick-knack that I will most likely throw away or give to Goodwill. If someone wants to bless me with a gift, my idea of an awesome gift is something that you know I will like because we have spent time together and you know me.
But back to the stretchy man toy. I caught myself wearing a black judge’s robe, judging people who are affirmed by gifts. Even seemingly random and insignificant gifts. Not to get overly spiritual here, but my judgmental huffing about people who get excited about a panda shaped pen showed me that at times I do not value who God has made other people to be — the part of His image that is reflected in them. Ouch. How convicting. All of us together make up the body of Christ as outlined in 1Cor 12:12-26. We each have value and bring something of significance to each others lives.
As we continue to use the Word of God as a plumb line for living, let us be gracious to one another and rejoice with those who rejoice – even over plastic stretchy man toys. 🙂
Until next time,
Hope