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The Best Gifts Aren’t Things

By December 9, 2020SavED by Grace

The Best Gifts Aren’t Things

By Kylee Wray Mitchell

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The King of all kings chose to spend His first night on earth in a barn.

He could have lived a life in lavish luxury. But instead, according to scripture, He had nowhere to lay His head. He spent His time not on accumulation of worldly goods and accolades but on touching lives and spending time with the lost.

His ministry was focused on people. 

So many people are hurting right now. People have lost so much. Some people that I love greatly, others I have just encountered through social media.

And of those asking for prayer, of those in mourning, not a single person has asked for “healing so a much loved friend can get more use out of their Lexus.” No painfully constructed obituary has read “she will be missed by her vast shoe collection.” 

The fact of the matter is, I chose my word for 2020 to be “contentment.” And I think when I chose that I meant it materially. That I would believe there is such a thing as “enough stuff.” But, as I look around at all this year has taken from us, I think “contentment” is more about realizing the reality of what it means to be human. 

We are a vapor. A mist. Gone in the blink of an eye. It’s a humbling thought to realize how truly small our personal worlds are no matter how big our house is. We only get a finite amount of time, no matter who we are. And to embrace that reality is cause for great humility. 

Once we realize the inevitability of loss, we begin to understand a new depth of gratitude. A thankfulness not for material possessions, not for success, but for our people as well as the opportunity to fill our small worlds with meaningful connections. 

To laugh. To love. To show kindness. To spread joy. To touch another life. To give comfort. To be a mommy. A sister. A wife. A disciple. A light. A force of nature for good. To be a willing vessel for God’s work. 

Those are the things we should be humbled by and grateful for because once we are gone, they are things people miss. Not our status, not our 85-inch flat screens, or our latest iPhone. Those things waste away. And people don’t weep for their loss. 

People weep for the loss of all that we were. If we look at Jesus, his birth and ministry, we find it is really all about people, not about what people own. 

So, as we approach the Christmas season, let’s remember that there’s no amount of money we could spend that will ever compare to the people we love and the gift of another day with them.

My love to you all. ❤️

I am a high school English teacher in southern central Alabama. I am originally from a small town in north Alabama called Arab, but after meeting my husband in college, I never moved back. We have been married for 8 years and have 3 children—Luke, Caroline, and Lincoln. I have been teaching for 5 years now, and it is one of the greatest joys in my life.

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