The Gift of Love
The message of Christmas is simple. Love is born into the world. And love is greater than hate. The gift of love is given to the world. And love is more powerful than hatred. In a world filled with hatred, can we give love? Can we give the gift of love?
Isaiah
The story begins in Isaiah, that ancient and beautiful text, with God speaking words of comfort to the people. When we suffer, we want most to be comforted, don’t we? In Isaiah, God says, “You have suffered long enough. Now I am going to send you comfort and relief from your suffering. Love is born into this world.”
Mary
When the angel appears to her, Mary is afraid. But the angel says, “Fear not.” When our lives change suddenly, we are afraid. We don’t like change. We don’t want anything to change, and we are afraid of change. And yet everything changes. Even so, in midst of change, the angel says, “Fear not, love is born into this world.”
Jesus
And then, Jesus is born. A new baby appears. God’s gift of love, the Christ child, this new life appears. The embodiment of unconditional love and forgiveness, sent from God, the divine Christ child appears in the world.
The baby Jesus was born into a suffering world. Jerusalem was occupied by Roman soldiers. The Roman emperor put pressure on the Jewish people with heavy taxation and tyranny. Life in Judea was stressful, chaotic and complicated. Much like it is today. And yet, love is born into this world.
Shepherds
Then, the angel appears to some shepherds. They are afraid, too. And again, the angel says, “Fear not! Love is born into this world.”
Wise Men
Wise men from the east hear about this baby, the birth of unconditional love, the birth of forgiveness and grace, the birth of comfort and peace, and so they travel a long way to find him because these things are so rare. Love is rare.
Love is rare.
In this wide world, love is rare and hard to find. Forgiveness and grace are rare. Comfort and peace are rare.
Tonight, right now, new life and new love continue to be born into this world, into this world of suffering. And more than anything, this is what we want, isn’t it? What human beings want most is to be loved.
To be loved, to matter, to be seen and heard, to be cared for, to know that someone cares about you, to know that you are important to someone, to be respected, to be peaceful…all of these things. They are all love, and everyone wants this. Everyone in the whole world wants this.
And yet, look how much suffering there is. Look how much hatred there is. How do we get what we really want? Hatred does not end by more hatred. Only by love is hatred healed.
This thing that we want, this love, is a thing we can only get by giving away. The thing we want most, we only get by giving away.
You want love? Then love others. Give your love away. Give it away, and it will come back to you. Stop complaining. Let go of your grudges. Let go of your bitterness. Let go of your judgement. Everybody has been hurt. We’ve all been wounded. Let go of all of the bitterness. Love other people, show them you love them, tell them, and do something that shows them that they matter to you. Right now, feel your heart begin to open.
In a world filled with hatred, can we give love? Can we give the gift of love? Each moment offers this opportunity to give love. Right now. Try it and see. Something happens in the human heart when it opens to give to others.
What does this look like exactly? It could be just as simple as a smile, or saying, “Hello, how are you?” It could be putting up some new Christmas lights in your yard. It could be fixing the clock in the sanctuary. It could be baking some cookies for coffee hour, sending a card, visiting someone in the hospital, washing the dishes, giving children new shoes, something simple like this.
How do we love? We love by bringing something new into this world, sharing something new with others, and this is giving the gift of love.
The Christ child is born, God’s gift of love, the Word made flesh that dwells among us. And we behold his glory, full of grace and truth.
Amen? Amen.