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“It Was the Best Gift I Had Ever Received”The Watchtower (Public)—2017 | No. 6
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COVER SUBJECT | WHAT IS THE BEST GIFT OF ALL?
“It Was the Best Gift I Had Ever Received”
That is how one 13-year-old girl felt when she received a pet dog as a gift. A successful businesswoman said that a computer her father gave her when she was in high school was a gift that changed her life. And a newlywed husband felt that his wife’s handmade first-anniversary card was the best gift he had ever received.
Each year, many people spend time and effort searching for that “best” gift for a friend or a relative on a special occasion. And most would love to hear a response like those mentioned at the outset. What about you? Would you like to be able to give or receive gifts that are truly appreciated?
That prospect can be very appealing, not only because of the effect a gift can have on the receiver but also because of the way it can make the giver feel. After all, the Bible says: “There is more happiness in giving than there is in receiving.” (Acts 20:35) Of course, the happiness gained from giving may be enhanced if the gift is highly valued by the receiver.
How, then, can you make your gift-giving a source of true happiness for you and for the receiver? And if giving the “best” gift is not possible, what can you do so that your gift will be truly appreciated?
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The Quest for the Best GiftThe Watchtower (Public)—2017 | No. 6
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COVER SUBJECT | WHAT IS THE BEST GIFT OF ALL?
The Quest for the Best Gift
Coming up with what might be considered the ideal gift for someone is not an easy task. After all, the value of the gift will be determined by the receiver. And what one recipient considers best might not be so for another.
For instance, a teenager may feel that the latest electronic gadget would be a perfect gift. An adult, on the other hand, may deeply treasure receiving a gift of sentimental value, such as a family heirloom. In some cultures, the preferred gift for young and old alike is money, allowing the receiver to use it for whatever he or she wants.
Despite the challenge, many thoughtful individuals continue in their quest for a gift most suitable for someone special. While finding such a gift may not always be possible, keeping in mind certain factors would likely increase the chances for success. Let us consider four that can contribute to satisfaction on the part of the receiver.
The recipient’s desires. A man in Belfast, Northern Ireland, called a racing bike he received when he was 10 or 11 years old the best present ever. Why? “Because I really wanted it,” he explained. That remark reveals that a person’s desire has much to do with whether he will cherish a gift or not. So think about the person to whom you intend to give a gift. Try to identify what he may value, because a person’s values often influence his desires. For example, grandparents often value spending time with family. They may desire to see their children and grandchildren as frequently as possible. A family vacation including the grandparents would likely be more appreciated than any other gift for them.
A key to being aware of a person’s desires is to be a good listener. The Bible encourages us to “be quick to listen, slow to speak.” (James 1:19) As you engage in everyday conversation with your friends or relatives, listen closely for clues that indicate their likes and dislikes. Then you may be in a better position to give a gift that they will enjoy.
The recipient’s needs. A recipient may highly cherish even the simplest gift if it fills a particular need. But how can you know what someone else might need?
It may seem that the easiest way to find out is to ask what the person needs—or, for that matter, wants. However, for many gift-givers, this takes away part of the joy of giving, as they much prefer to surprise the receiver with just the right gift. Furthermore, while some people may talk freely about their likes or dislikes, often they can be rather private regarding their needs.
Therefore, be observant and take special note of the person’s circumstances. Is he or she young, old, single, married, divorced, widowed, employed, or retired? Then give thought to what gifts may address a need the person has.
To gain insight into the needs of the intended recipient of your gift, consult with others who have been in similar circumstances. They may be able to tell you about special needs that are not widely known by others. With such input, you may now be able to give a gift that fills a need that others would not think of.
The timing. The Bible states: “A word spoken at the right time—how good it is!” (Proverbs 15:23) This scripture shows that the timing of our words can make a big difference. It is similar with our actions. Just as words spoken at the right time can be very pleasing to the hearer, a gift given at the right time or on the appropriate occasion can contribute greatly to the receiver’s happiness.
A friend is getting married. A youth is soon to graduate from school. A married couple is expecting a baby. These are but a few of the many occasions for which gifts are often given. Some find it practical to keep a list of such special events that will take place in the coming year. In this way they can plan ahead for the gift that would be best for each occasion.a
Of course, you need not limit gift-giving to special occasions. The joy of giving can be experienced at any time. However, a word of caution might be in order. For example, if a man were to give a woman a gift when there is no apparent reason for doing so, she might conclude that the gift was an indication of his interest in getting to know her better. Unless that is the true and appropriate intention, such a gift may lead to misunderstandings or complications. This underscores the need to consider another important factor—the giver’s motives.
The giver’s motives. As the previous example shows, it is good to consider whether the recipient might misinterpret the giver’s motives. On the other hand, the giver would do well to examine his or her own motives. While most people would like to think that their motives for gift-giving are honorable, many give gifts during certain times of the year because they feel pressured to do so. Still others give in hopes of receiving preferential treatment or something in return.
What can you do to ensure that your gift-giving is done with good motives? The Bible says: “Let everything you do be done with love.” (1 Corinthians 16:14) If your giving is motivated by genuine love and concern for the recipients, your gifts will likely be received with joy and you will experience the greater happiness that comes from true generosity. When you give from the heart, you also make our heavenly Father rejoice. The apostle Paul commended the Christians in ancient Corinth when they generously and happily supported relief work for their fellow Christians in Judea. “God loves a cheerful giver,” Paul told them.—2 Corinthians 9:7.
Giving attention to the factors we have discussed can contribute greatly toward your giving gifts that make others happy. These factors—and more—have played a part in God’s arrangement for mankind to receive the greatest gift of all. We invite you to consider what this grand gift is by reading the next article.
a Many people also give gifts during birthday and holiday celebrations. However, these occasions often involve practices that are in conflict with what the Bible teaches. See the article “Our Readers Ask—Is Christmas for Christians?” in this magazine.
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What Is the Best Gift of All?The Watchtower (Public)—2017 | No. 6
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COVER SUBJECT | WHAT IS THE BEST GIFT OF ALL?
What Is the Best Gift of All?
“Every good gift and every perfect present is from above, coming down from the Father of the celestial lights.” (James 1:17) That scripture, of course, refers to the generosity of our heavenly Father, Jehovah God. Yet, of the many gifts that God has given mankind, there is one that is greater than all the rest. What is it? Jesus’ well-known words, recorded at John 3:16, tell us: “God loved the world so much that he gave his only-begotten Son, so that everyone exercising faith in him might not be destroyed but have everlasting life.”
The gift of God’s only-begotten Son—that would certainly be the greatest gift that any one of us could ever receive, for thereby we can be freed from the bondage to sin, old age, and death. (Psalm 51:5; John 8:34) Try as we may, on our own there is nothing we can do to be released from that bondage. However, in his great love, God provided what is needed to bring about that release. By giving his only-begotten Son, Jesus Christ, as the ransom, Jehovah God gave obedient mankind the prospect of life everlasting. But what exactly is the ransom? Why is it necessary? And how can we benefit from it?
A ransom is a price paid to buy back something forfeited or to bring about release from bondage. The Bible explains that our first parents, Adam and Eve, were created sinless, with the prospect of enjoying life forever on a paradise earth along with the offspring they would later produce. (Genesis 1:26-28) Sadly, they forfeited all of that by choosing to disobey God—thus becoming sinners. What was the result? The Bible answers: “Through one man sin entered into the world and death through sin, and so death spread to all men because they had all sinned.” (Romans 5:12) Instead of passing on perfect life to his offspring, Adam passed on sin and its consequence, death.
In the case of a ransom, what is paid must be equal to what was lost. When Adam deliberately disobeyed God, he sinned, and the result was the loss of a perfect human life—Adam’s life. According to the Bible, that caused Adam’s offspring to become enslaved to sin and death. Hence, it took the surrendering of another perfect human life—Jesus’ life—given as a sacrifice to make release from bondage possible. (Romans 5:19; Ephesians 1:7) It is only because God lovingly paid this ransom that mankind has the prospect of enjoying what Adam and Eve lost—life forever on a paradise earth.—Revelation 21:3-5.
In view of what it accomplishes, there is no doubt that God’s gift of the ransom, which makes everlasting life possible, is the greatest gift of all. To appreciate what a “perfect present” it is, let us see how, in surpassing ways, it satisfies the factors that help us to make gifts worthwhile, as discussed in the preceding article.
Satisfies our desire. We humans have a strong innate desire to keep on living. (Ecclesiastes 3:11) Although on our own we are unable to satisfy that desire, the ransom makes it possible for us to do so. The Bible says: “For the wages sin pays is death, but the gift God gives is everlasting life by Christ Jesus our Lord.”—Romans 6:23.
Fills our need. Humans could not provide the ransom. The Bible explains: “The ransom price for their life is so precious that it is always beyond their reach.” (Psalm 49:8) Therefore, we were in desperate need of divine assistance in order to be released from bondage to sin and death. But “through the release by the ransom paid by Christ Jesus,” God has provided just what is needed.—Romans 3:23, 24.
Is perfectly timed. The Bible tells us: “While we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” (Romans 5:8) Because it was given “while we were yet sinners,” the ransom provides assurance of the depth of God’s love for us despite our sinful state. And it gives us much to look forward to, even though we have to endure the consequences of sin.
Reveals a motive noble and selfless. The Bible points out what moved God to offer his Son as the ransom: “By this the love of God was revealed in our case, that God sent his only-begotten Son into the world so that we might gain life through him. The love is in this respect, not that we have loved God, but that he loved us.”—1 John 4:9, 10.
How can you show that you appreciate the greatest gift of all? Recall that Jesus’ words at John 3:16 point out that only those “exercising faith” in him will be saved. Faith, according to the Bible, is “the assured expectation of what is hoped for.” (Hebrews 11:1) To have that assurance, accurate knowledge is essential. For this reason, we urge you to take time to learn about Jehovah God, the Giver of this “perfect present,” and to find out what you must do to enjoy the everlasting life that Jesus’ ransom sacrifice has made possible for you.
You can learn all of this by examining the Scriptural information available online at www.jw.org. Jehovah’s Witnesses are happy to help you. We are confident that as you learn about and benefit from this greatest gift, you will be moved to exclaim: “Thanks to God through Jesus Christ our Lord!”—Romans 7:25.
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