What’s the best Christmas gift you have ever received? Have you ever received a gift that has changed your life? Or a gift that has inspired you and affected your future? Maybe there are gifts that have had an influence on your life; what have you done with those gifts? Did you put them to good use or are they just decorations on a shelf?

When you ask these questions to a child, they might tell you it was the beautiful doll or new bike they received last year or maybe it was the newest gaming system. When you ask an adult, it takes a minute before they can answer. Perhaps it was a much-needed vacation or spending time with family. It might have been a raise or bonus at work or a long-awaited marriage proposal. I do love it, though, when people take time to buy a gift; to give a gift that they have put some thought and consideration behind â€" a gift that will be useful and helpful. Unexpected gifts are the most memorable. These such gifts remind me of the Greatest Christmas Gift of all: Jesus.

Every year we hear the Christmas story and think, “what a wonderful storyâ€�. In fact, some have even gotten tired of hearing the “Christmas Storyâ€� year after year. The age-old story of Joseph and a very pregnant Mary riding to Bethlehem on a donkey and the baby Jesus being born in a stable; the star, the shepherds, and the wisemen â€" all characters in a beautiful narrative. You might think, “I’ve heard this so many times before that I have it memorized!â€� Well, if that’s the case, I am so very glad that you do! Having the Scripture memorized makes it so much easier to share it! However, the Christmas Story is far more than just a lovely story that happened in the past.

Today’s Scripture says, “But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy.�

Jesus didn’t come into the world for us because we deserved Him or because we were friends with Him or part of His family. God gave us the Gift of Jesus because we needed Him! We could spend our whole lives reading about the Love of God and “The Christmas Storyâ€� and never really grasp it all. And when we share this Good News â€" this Beautiful Gift â€" with others, we are sharing the same Kindness and Love shown to us by our Savior when He gave us His Son, Jesus, the Greatest Gift of all!

Suggested Prayer: Father God, never let me tire of hearing your story. Never let me be ashamed to share your loving-kindness with others. Your Gift to mankind so many years ago is still the Greatest Gift of all! Thank you for the thought you put into making Jesus the most memorable part of Christmas. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

1.    Titus 3:4-5 (NIV).

Today’s Encounter was written by: Veronica B.