Living Free This Advent: Spend Less and Give More
This Advent season, we’re talking about rethinking Christmas so that we don’t lose focus of the fact that Jesus is our greatest gift to meet our greatest need. It’s our way of choosing to live differently from the world around this time of year.
Several years ago, my wife and I introduced this idea of the Advent Conspiracy to our children using a family devotional from our local church. As a part of the discussion, we asked one of our sons if he could remember three or four of the presents he received for Christmas the previous year. Nothing immediately came to his mind, so he began scanning his room for anything that would jog his memory.
He pointed to one toy that probably cost $20. He was right. He did receive it for Christmas the year before. It’s a good thing it was lying out in the open! “Anything else?” we asked. His next three guesses missed the mark.
Pretty telling, huh? From there, we began talking about the practice of spending less and giving more.
Spending less is a very subjective goal. What are we comparing our spending to? Are we supposed to spend less than we did last year? Or spend less than our family members, friends, co-workers, etc? Or just the average American?
I believe it’s important to consider that spending less is more about our mentality toward stuff than it is about the amount of money we spend. Now, give that some thought! Often when the topic of spending less comes up, we immediately want to ask, “Well, how much is too much?” But that’s a question that lends itself to legalism, which we want avoid. Instead, it’s healthy to consider what we value and why we value it.
Jesus taught, “Don’t store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steel. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves don’t break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also” (Matthew 6:19-21, CSB). Then he said, “No one can serve two masters…You cannot serve both God and money” (v. 24). Finally, in Matthew 6:33 he said, “But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be provided for you” (CSB).
Spending less may involve simplifying life and getting rid of stuff so that there aren’t as many distractions from seeking God. It may involve honoring God by practicing good stewardship of our finite resources. It may also involve reallocating our finite resources so that we can give more generously. Seeking first the kingdom of God and his righteousness means that we reprioritize what we value in life so that what we value is the same as what He values.
One thing God values most is relationships. He demonstrated this by giving us Himself!
In Matthew 1:23 we read, “See, the virgin will become pregnant and give birth to a son, and they will name him Immanuel, which is translated ‘God is with us’.” And in the often quoted John 3:16 we read, “For God loved the world in this way: He gave his one and only Son...”
If we are trying to follow God’s example, giving at Christmas ought to look less like giving presents and more like giving our presence. In fact, the best gifts celebrate our relationships with God and others.
Take a minute to think about the gifts you’ve already bought for others this year, or that you’re planning to buy. How many of them are meaningful gifts? How many of them truly celebrate the relationship that you have with that individual? Then, think about the best gift(s) you’ve ever received. Were they meaningful because they were expensive, or were they meaningful because of the relationship you had with the gift-giver?
My guess is that the gifts were special because of the relationship you had with the gift-giver. That’s exactly why Jesus is our greatest gift. He came from a Gift-giver who decided to transform the world through relational restoration.
So I ask you: how can you spend less on stuff and instead give more meaningfully this year?