Volume XXI, Number 52, December 25, 2023
A Christmas Morning Musing – Gifts
Could there be a more splendid day than Christmas Day to consider the numerous gifts you and I have been blessed to receive? Some will suggest Thanksgiving Day fits that bill very well, and I would be hard pressed to argue otherwise. Still, I think today with its tinsel, glitter, the aromas, the giving and receiving of presents, the unbridled excitement of children of every age as they rip into those carefully wrapped packages, and the family and extended family gathered to join in the merry-making makes for a near perfect setting to reflect on the numerous gifts we have been given. Yes, I know the adage “it is better to give than to receive” and I subscribe to that. But we would be deceiving ourselves if we tried denying that we have been the beneficiaries of some incredible gifts.
By now, some may be latching on to the notion that today’s topic is less about pretty presents under the tree on Christmas morning than it is about the big presents each of us has been given throughout our lifetimes. Some of the gifts I have received and for which I am incredibly grateful are my faith, family, friends, the freedoms I enjoy by virtue of the country where I live, the wisdom, curiosity, and bravery of those who came before me, my education, health, the opportunity to serve others, and a long career where numerous clients have entrusted us with some important tasks.
The thing is, many of the blessings that I cited above have come about as a direct result of being able to identify and leverage some of my most basic gifts. Call them talents, strengths, geniuses, or what have you, the reality is each of us has received an assortment of gifts that from birth have equipped us to do some incredible things. Yet all that potential goes for naught if we fail to recognize, appreciate, and apply those gifts.
In my case, that collection of innate abilities includes things like thinking strategically and analytically, earning others trust, valuing their differences, and getting the important things done. At least that is my Strengths Finder profile. A different personality assessment tool pegs me as the creative type. Each of us has been blessed with our own collection of talents. Odds are they differ from mine. Which is a wonderful thing since the world needs more than what I have to offer.
But as much as one of my jobs was to surface and apply my gifts, I also have a duty to help others identify and utilize their strengths so they can be the best, most
fulfilled versions of themselves. If you have not guessed it, those are your jobs too. So, enjoy the day. Be grateful for your gifts. Make the best of them. Help others do likewise.
Soli Deo Gloria
“There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit distributes them. There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. There are different kinds of working, but in all of them and in everyone it is the same God at work. Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good.” 1 Corinthians 12: 4-6
J. Keith Hughey
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E-mail: keith@jkeithhughey.com
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Copyright 2023 by J. Keith Hughey. All rights reserved. Permission is hereby granted for reproduction and redistribution of this essay as provided under the copyright laws of the United States of America. The entire early library of Monday Morning Musings issues may be found at www.jkeithhughey.com. Your comments are welcome and encouraged.