Christmas is the story of God coming to earth. It is God rolling his sleeves up and getting his hands dirty by becoming a vulnerable human being. It is in God’s very nature to serve, and the coming of Jesus is an act of the servanthood of God.
God has always been a servant. And the reason we give gifts at Christmas is to celebrate the birth of the one who is often called the Servant King.
Jesus said it is more blessed to give than receive, and there is a real sense in which the gift we receive is in the giving. Because Jesus spoke about and lived out a life of love and giving, he was able to experience joy, even in his darkest hour.
Jesus always spoke with authority because he lived out what he knew; he didn’t just speak about it. So when he said that it is more blessed to give than receive, he said it because he knew it to be true out of his own life.
Giving is an act of joy, something God delights in. This Christmas we remember the Servant King who came to earth and humbled himself simply because it is in his very nature to serve and give.