21st May, 2006

JUST FOR THE PRESENT

I think I’ve had occasion to mention before that shopping is not my favourite pastime. I find it endurable if I can go to a store, know exactly what it is that I’m looking for, find it, pay for it, and go on my merry way. Even in Paris I can usually manage that much – although it’s not very encouraging when I’ve lined up a few relevant French phrases, and before I have spoken three words the shopkeeper is informing me that he/she has English. (That they can figure out I’m not a native French speaker is understandable, but how do they know that I speak English?)

But ask me to do general shopping, and especially gift shopping, and I go into some form of trance. I go from store to store, hoping that something very obviously suitable will ‘jump out at me’ – but of course it never happens. I look at this – clearly too cheap-looking – , at that – I don’t know if they’d really like it – and the other – they probably have too many of them already. And as often as not I go home with nothing – I’ll try again to-morrow. And all the time the occasion – Christmas, birthday, whatever – is getting closer, and stress levels are getting higher.

But at my worst I’ve never had the experience I heard about during the week! (And, I promise, I did not dream this up!) Imagine yourself going into a store. You explain to the assistant that you’re looking for a present for a man, we’ll say, but you’re not too sure what to get him. “How well do you know him?” Not that well. And then the killer question – “Do you like him?”!!! Wouldn’t you really love to answer – “No, not really”? What would happen? Would I be invited to “Please step this way, and I’ll show you our section with presents for people you don’t really like.”

What would such a section contain? Cuban cigars that explode when lit? Really beautifully scented perfume that turns bright pink when it comes into contact with skin? Dinner for two in Mcdonalds? The mind boggles! And I presume there have to be sub-sections – for people that irritate you a little, for people that you can just about tolerate, and for people who really get under your skin. “Might I suggest, sir, you buy them this cartoon book on table-manners– they won’t really know if it’s a joke, or if you’re really telling them something!” “Or we have this faulty consignment of normally very expensive champagne – should be good to make them feel honoured - that is, until they open it!” “Or this should really upset them ……….”

But, of course, that’s not really what giving gifts is all about. They should be a token of love and respect. The greater the esteem in which the person is held, the more significant (not necessarily expensive!) the gift. When Jesus says He is laying down His very life for us, He is really giving us a measure of the love He has for us. If He holds us in such esteem, what’s blinding us to seeing that value in others? There is no ambiguity in His love, or in His gifts.

By the way, I’m forgoing all birthday presents this year, just in case!