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Picture this: Christmas morning, kids opening presents and playing
with their new gifts. Except for one. She's trying to play with her sister's gifts. Her perfectly wonderful gifts lie among the crumpled gift wrap,
still under the tree, ignored. What would any of us tell this kid? "Leave
your sister's stuff alone. Go play with your toys!" "Yours is over
here. Look how great your gift is!"
This happens just about every Christmas somewhere. But it also
happens just about every day in the hearts of many singles and, sadly, even married people. They want a gift that's just not theirs.
Singles often miss their own gift of singleness because they are so focused on getting out of Singleville. In 1 Corinthians 7 Paul says of singleness and marriage “But each has his own gift
from God, one of one kind and one of another.” (ESV) Singleness and marriage
are different gifts from the same shelf. Neither is better or worse. Both are good. (If you read the whole chapter, you’ll see Paul say singleness is better. But
he’s biased. :-)
Some married people ignore their gift because they are trying to relive their single years, or don't really want to give up the single lifestyle. Some feel that marriage was a mistake. Wherever their hearts are, they too need to focus on the gift that is currently theirs. It's the same goodness as singleness, just different.
Wait, though. Some gifts are complicated and kids can't figure them out. Or maybe they need to grow into a clothing size. Singleness and marriage are like that too. They need to be played with and examined to be understood and appreciated. Maybe, like Aunt Bertha's sweaters, we'll fit them better as we mature.
When it comes down to it gifts are not about what you get, but the relationship between the giver and the getter. In both marriage and singleness, the giver is the same -- God -- so cherish what is yours and
quit wishing God gave you the other gift. He's the best gift-giver in
the universe! I think He can be trusted to get it right for, well, just about everyone.
Share below how you're going to try fitting better into your gift.
