By Sandy Kirby Quandt

Ah, December. The time of get-togethers with family and friends. Time of goodwill and cheer to one and all. Time to unload give that junk treasure we have shoved carefully stored in the closet for such a time as this.

Perhaps you have participated in a White Elephant Gift Exchange. Personally, I’m not a fan. I’m not a fan of those parties where you get a gift then anyone who wants to can steal remove it from you your hand. Do you know how dreadful that is when adults grab a gift from a child? Come on, Man.

I participated in a women’s church group gift exchange during the seventies that was NOT intended as a White Elephant exchange. I ended up with a metal address thing that had a little red arrow that slid down the side, and flipped open.

You know, the kind that might have sat on a government worker’s desk and accidentally fallen into a purse.

In a recent Bible study lecture on the building of the Tabernacle during the Israelites’ wanderings through the desert, recorded in Exodus 25-33, the teaching leader said something that is the genesis for this post.

Susan pointed out how the Israelites were to give the best they had for the building of the Tabernacle. There were to be no White Elephant Gifts.

God wants our best. Not the left-over junk we won’t miss. He wants us to bring our gifts willingly. Not grudgingly. God wants us to give him the first fruits. Not whatever we have leftover at the end of the month.

He created us. He delivered us out of the bondage of our sin through the sacrifice of Christ on the cross of Calvary. God deserves more than we could ever repay.

He definitely deserves more than a metal address White Elephant thing.

Susan added that what we give back to God reflects what we think of him. Hmmm.

How are we doing in giving back to God? Does he get the best we have to offer, no matter what our best might look like in the eyes of others, or does he get the leftovers, if that?

Any White Elephant stories you’d like to share? ‘Tis the season, after all.

I’d love to hear your thoughts on the subject. Leave a comment below. If you think others would appreciate reading this, please share it through the social media buttons.

Then the Eternal spoke to Moses.