Gift giving can be a tricky endeavor. We don’t want to spend too much money, but we want to find gifts that are meaningful and personal. We don’t want to spoil the kids, but we want to give them treats because we remember how much fun we had opening presents as children. We want to bask in the twinkling lights and all of the sights and sounds of the season but not forget the Reason we celebrate. It’s a balance; don’t you think?

I appreciate hearing the kids pray as they take turns before bedtime and ask God for things like helping us all not be greedy and thanking him for sending Jesus. Yet, on the same token, they have written extensive wish lists asking for everything from snow to a pet owl (alas, Hedwig) to a grappling hook (thank you, G-Force).

How do we find balance – and, better yet – how do we instill that balance in our kids?

The famous ask-seek-knock passage of Luke 11 lends some insight to this question. Jesus asked his followers a few questions that seemed like no-brainers: If your son asks for a fish, would you give him a snake? If he asks for an egg, would you give him a scorpion? In modern-day terms, perhaps we could say that if your son asks for an mp3 player, would you give him a table saw? Of course not! We want to give our kids gifts that are age-appropriate and reasonable.

Jesus continued the analogy by explaining that if we (despite our sinful nature) know how to shower our children with good presents, how much MORE will our heavenly Father (who is perfect) be willing to give us his Holy Spirit. He doesn’t offer the Holy Spirit because we’ve written it down on a wish list. Nor does he offer his Spirit because we saw a commercial for it and won’t quit begging him for it. He offers his Spirit because it is part of himself—his forgiveness, his grace, his mercy, his comfort—that he willingly and lovingly gives to us.

We find balance when we remember that giving of ourselves is more important than anything we could wrap and place under the tree.