Inspired Real Estate For Today

The frenzy of activity that marks the month of December is unmatched.  End of year parties and activities, gift buying, and holiday shopping can rapidly merge into an experience which is taxing and depleting emotionally, physically and financially. In our desire to give materially, we are unaware of the toll that we unconsciously exact on our spirits and our bodies. 

The truth is that wholesome giving cannot be primarily defined as a material activityalthough it may manifest in a physical material form such as money or gifts.  In its highest context, giving is a spiritual activity which can manifest in any number of forms for the intended recipient

A higher level of giving is demonstrated by being intentional and paradoxically grateful.  Gratitude is a characteristic which we often associate solely with the recipient of a gift and not with the donor.  But, I would suggest that intentional giving starts not simply with being thankful, but being humbly grateful.  Focusing on the privilege of being able to give changes the platform. 

To give is to be truly blessed.  To truly give to another's need or bliss requires that I focus my attention and intention on being grateful for the opportunity to bless another, to essentially empower another.  It also requires a humble gratitude for the gift of their presence in my life.  Thereby changing the equation for the "potential giver" from an elevated position to a recipient of grace.

Giving of this quality transforms the nature of what is given. All material forms have a predecessor in the unseen realm.  The Celebration of the Birth of Jesus at this time of year was a gift that was prophesied centuries before he arrived as a minute embryonic cell in Mary's womb and eventually manifested as a baby born to rule, but lying in the extremely modest environment of the manger. 

The intention of this gift was clearly the love of God for humankind.  The transformation afforded through the gift of Jesus Christ literally redeems life and provides reconnection to God through acceptance of His gift of life. 

Now that is radical, the Giver of life being so full of humility and love that He would humble himself to take on a physical body with all its weakness to ensure that through His death, we could live.  This is the spiritual nature and meaning of Christmas.

Giving of ones self is the highest form of giving particularly when it is done to enable the highest good of another.  The grace of this type of giving transforms a simple cup of cold water to the least amongst us to a gift which resounds in the heavens and impacts life far beyond the limited dimension of what we can readily see, measure or understand

**Portions of his blog post were initially posted almost exactly a year ago today. This was one of my first attempts at blogging. Recently, I went back to this post and was struck again by the message and how relevant it is for this time of the year.  This is an edited version of that early post.  If you'd like to read the complete post...you can visit my other blog. Merry Christmas!

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