Giving

The book I am currently reading contains a number of Christmas stories.  Somehow it seems appropriate.
One was about a nativity scene that had fallen off the shelf in a toy store.  It had broken, and Jesus was missing.  Today I saw a post on Facebook that showed a nativity scene with Jesus missing.  It highlighted that Jesus is missing and Santa has taken over.  I can sort of put those two things together.
Another story was about a school pageant.  The role of Inn Keeper was given to a slow kid and big for his age, who the others saw as their protector.  His role was to send Joseph and Mary away.  It did not go according to script.  Sure he sent them away, but felt for them so much that he called them back, and said they could have his room.
I sort of feel I can understand the not going according to script part.  I was in a crowd scene practice when Jesus was being crucified.  The question was, “who shall I release, Jesus or Barabbas?”   The answer was Barabbas.  That is what everyone else called out.  I called out Jesus. I came in for special attention from the guards.
Another story was a Christmas fairy tale with a moral.  In this one, bells only rang when something special was given.  A boy and his brother were going to attend for the first time.  On the way there, they come across someone freezing to death that could not help themselves.  One stayed and attended to the person, and gave his gift to his brother, and told him to go.  The King and rich people gave astounding gifts and still the bells remained silent.  The kids’ gift was given and the bells sounded.
It reminded me so much of another story I have read, about someone giving basically a pittance, but it was all they had, while others gave heaps, but it was only a portion of what they had.  To me, it is the size of the gift in proportion to the whole that tells the story, rather than the size of the gift.
There was another post on Facebook today about a homeless guy sleeping on a bench.  It was a set up, but he did not know.  While he slept, heaps of brass was slipped into his backpack.  When he awoke he found it, and thought all his Christmases had come at once.  He used it to purchase clothes and pillows and things to make his life more comfortable.  A guy then arrived at the same bench talking on his mobile, and saying how he had nothing to purchase medicine for his sick child.  The homeless guy returned all he had bought, and gave the money to the mobile phone guy, to get medicine for the child.  It was then revealed it was a set up, and the homeless guy was given heaps to get what he needed.
That to me is part of what Christmas is about.  It is easier said than done though. 
Another saying in the book that I like is “we must not only give what we have, we must give what we are.”
Giving seems to have always been a big part of Christmas.  It started with a gift to humanity. Commercialism is now rife, but one thing that never seems to change, is the heart of the giver.