Did you know how much a family spends for Christmas every year in presents? Check out the picture below about the estimate of how much we spend in November each year from 1999 to 2015.  

I’m not giving you advice to help you know what to give. That’s not my expertise. Also, keep in mind that giving in this season is a biblical practice. It started with the wise men visiting and bringing gifts to the baby Jesus. So, I will encourage you to find a way to give during this season.

My goal today is to offer you advice on how to give better and do it in the most rewarding way ever. 

How would you do it?

Let me first say this: giving has to do with your heart and how what you give will change the life of the receiver. That is also what I call purposeful giving.

Purposeful giving is what you need to make your giving this year the best and reward experience ever. Here’s what it means. 

Purposeful giving means to offer 

Purposeful giving does not expect anything in return. It means that you give something to someone with no expectations of receiving anything back from them.

It is also about freely presenting a gift that can either be accepted or rejected.

This reminds us of the gift of salvation God has offered us through faith in Jesus Christ. We have the choice to accept it or reject it.

Purposeful giving means to provide

Here, I would like you to think, not only of just making something available for someone. But, it has to do more with equipping.

When you give, how do you think the gift will equip the person, who receives it, to be the best of who God wants them to be?

Purposeful giving means to empower

Think of what you give to your family members or friends this Christmas. Is what, you plan to give, going to empower people? Empowerment is what gives people the courage and boldness to live at their best.

Empowering someone gives them strength and power at the same time.

• Strength helps people resist anything that comes their way.
• Power allows them to press on in life and always keep moving forward.

So, think of a gift that can give both strength and power to the receiver. 

Purposeful giving means to supply

People may have the desire to press on and keep moving forward no matter what. But, a lot of times, they lack the tools and resources they need in order to make it happen.

Purposeful giving means to supply in a way your loved one feels she has what she needs to grow and be better.

In other words, the gift that will make your loved one look more beautiful and wonderful than ever is what you need. It is affirming what the Bible says about every human being: “I am fearfully and wonderfully made…” (Psalm 139: 14)

Purposeful giving means to impart

What this is all about is that a gift should also be a message. This message is to make known what you feel about your loved one. So, when you give you are simply communicating. You’re talking, not only about how you love them, but more importantly, how God loves them just as they are.

This message, you impart in people through your gift, points out to the other reasons for giving: offering, equipping, providing and empowering.

Remember that it is the Holy Spirit who convicts of sin, judgment and justice. Therefore, I encourage you to pray over the gifts by inviting the Holy Spirit to touch people who will be receiving them. We are all God’s Work doing God’s work!

So, this Christmas, give purposefully with the goal of changing someone’s life for the glory of God!