We have all heard the “Little Drummer Boy” song at Christmastime, about the little boy who visits the newborn Baby Jesus. Since he has no gift to bring the Newborn King, he plays his drum for Him to the very best of his ability.

Some of us have a custom of spending much time thoughtfully selecting Christmas gifts we feel will be meaningful for family, friends, neighbors, or co-workers. Maybe some of the gifts are home baked or handmade. We spend time wrapping each gift as attractively as we can. We might need boxes, bags, tins, tags, and ribbons. Some gifts we will need to place inside another box, tape up the box, address it, and take it up to the post office or some other shipping location. Sometimes we just can’t wait until the recipient opens the gift we have so carefully selected and prepared.

But wait a minute. In all the hustle and bustle, do we sometimes forget to get a gift for the One whose birthday we are celebrating? Just as the “little drummer boy” gave thought to what he could give the King of Kings who came to the earth that night, shouldn’t we find a gift suitable for the One who left the glories of Heaven to be born in a humble surrounding, grow up in humble circumstance, and then be crucified on a cross?

He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him. He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him. -John 1:10

There is an account in Luke 7:36-50 of a woman who gave a priceless gift to Jesus early in His ministry. Something similar happened a short time before He was crucified. (Although the mention of a man named Simon in both instances may lead some to think it was the same event, Simon was a very common name. John 12:3 makes it clear that the woman who gave the gift in the second story was Mary, the sister of Lazarus.) In the first instance, a woman who had committed much sin came to the home where Jesus had been invited to dine. The woman brought an alabaster box filled with perfume—a very expensive item. She began to wash Jesus’ feet with her tears. Then she wiped His feet with her hair and kissed his feet. Lastly, she poured her costly perfume on His feet.

The Pharisees and Their Behavior

The Jewish religious leaders called “Pharisees” were known for their pride, hypocrisy, and lack of faith. The Pharisee who had invited Jesus to his home that day told himself that if Jesus really were a prophet, He would know that the woman coming in contact with Him had lived a life full of sin. Knowing the Pharisee’s thoughts, Jesus explained that those who have been forgiven much love much. No one had even offered common water for Jesus to wash his feet, as was customary to do in those days of walking on dusty roads. No one had even poured common oil on Jesus’ head. The biblehub.com website provides access to commentary notes. According to Barnes Notes on the Bible, the oil would have been a sweet oil or olive oil, prepared in such a way that it had a pleasant aroma. It also says that it served the purpose of smoothing the person’s hair. The Pulpit Commentary states that the oil was a source of refreshment for those who had walked in the harsh sun of Palestine. No doubt the hot sun parched their skin and even dried out their hair. Today we have lotions with everything from cocoa butter to shea butter and hair conditioners with everything from almond oil to argan oil. Though the host had not provided Jesus with the modest comforts of water and oil, the woman who had lived a sinful life washed His feet with her tears and poured her precious perfume over them.

Some of us have been more deeply entrenched in sin than others, but all who have believed and accepted the forgiveness provided by Jesus owe a great debt. The first 11 verses of the 5th chapter of Romans remind us of some of the grace we have received as believers. We have been justified through our faith. In other words, our guilt has been blotted out and we have been declared righteous and acquitted of the penalty for our sin. Though we were once God’s enemies, now we have been reconciled and have peace with God. (In Matthew 12:30 Jesus clearly stated that whoever is not with Him is against Him. There is no middle ground.) Another benefit of His grace is that He has given us the Holy Spirit, by whom He pours His love into our hearts.

A Gift For Jesus and Others

So this Christmas we cannot forget to give a gift to the One who came to the earth that night so long ago. Our gift should cost us something—either in time or money. David declared in I Chronicles 21:24 that he would not offer a sacrifice to God that cost him nothing. Since Jesus is no longer on the earth, we cannot give gifts directly to Him. But in Matthew 25:40 Jesus said, “. . . whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.” As a matter of fact, every time I read the whole passage that is written in Matthew 25:31-46, I find it very sobering. In that passage Jesus explained that if we ignore the needs of others, we will not be welcomed into God’s kingdom after the judgment. James 2:18 contains these words: “But someone will say, ‘You have faith; I have deeds.’ Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by my deeds.”

Going back to Matthew 25, Jesus gives us ideas for his “wish list”: food and water for the hungry and thirsty, inviting strangers in, clothing for those who need to be clothed, visiting those who are sick or in prison. When Jesus referred to doing it to “the least of these brothers and sisters of mine,” that seems to indicate that He was referring to helping believers. I don’t think Jesus meant that we should give help only to fellow believers. In Luke 6:31 He established “The Golden Rule,” in which “others” is not restricted. In Jesus’ “Good Samaritan” parable in Luke 10:25-37, the man who was rescued could be anyone. Perhaps Galatians 6:10 helps to clarify the issue. It says, “Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers.”

There are so many ways to help fulfill Jesus’ wish list.

• You could help disaster victims by donating funds to Convoy of Hope.
• You could sponsor a child through Compassion International.
• You could minister to persecuted Christians through Voices of the Martyrs.
• You could help give gifts to children of inmates by donating to the Angel Tree program of Prison Fellowship International.
• You could drop some money in the bucket beside a Salvation Army bell ringer. (Always be sure the charities to which you donate are reputable and use their funds wisely.
• You could volunteer at a veterans’ organization, knit hats for homeless shelters, take in a foster child, help serve meals at a local mission, visit a shut-in or someone in a nursing home or hospital.

You can check what percentage of the funds goes directly to accomplishing the mission of the charity, as opposed to similar charities. Some organizations belong to the ECFA, the Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability. You can also check the Better Business Bureau Accredited Charities.

If we realize what great grace Jesus has given us in coming to earth to pay for our sins, it will be no problem to give a gift that costs us some time or money. As that woman who poured her costly perfume on the feet of Jesus, we will do it willingly out of great love and gratitude. Let the words of the song “Broken and Spilled Out” below, written by Gloria Gaither, speak to your heart.

Scriptures taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®. Copyright© 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. TM Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. www.zondervan.com The “NIV” and “New International Version” are trademarks registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office by Biblica, Inc. TM