Pastor's Posting

Gift Cards

Did you know "Gift cards accounted for 14 percent of all holiday spending, or about $30 billion, in 2004, a figure that is expected to grow to $35 billion this year, according to the International Council of Shopping Centers, a trade group," according to an article in the LA Daily News?

The good news for retailers is that this trend means fewer returns--those sweaters and CDs well-meaning family members bought you thinking you liked what they did.

The good news for consumers is that they get to buy what they want with the money. They are only limited to the store from which the giver purchased the card.

I admit that I fell into the trap of gift cards this year. No, not for my immediate family, but for the extended family members who gathered to swap gifts at my parents' place this year. We were to bring a $15.00 gift for each member of your family to be exchanged elephant-gift style on Christmas Eve. Rather than shopping for four unique gifts, I bought 3 gift cards from Target and 1 (to represent me, the lone male for another male) from Lowe's. (My apologies to Bill O'Reilly for shopping at Target, but the checker said "Merry Christmas" after I greeted her that way.)

We made some people go "ooh" out of politeness at receiving our gift cards, but it was not near the fun we had tasting the Jones Soda Co. Holiday Pack. It was a guy thing, and the Brussels Sprout flavor almost did me in, but it was a blast downing each flavor of the turkey meal in the form of soda. Photo of one round

Everyone seemed to be happy to get the cards we got them, but on my drive home I got to thinking about the whole gift card thing. They seem to be popular for two reasons. One reason is that the one getting the gift can get what he or she wants with the card. It's all about the receiver being happy with his or her gift. You don't want to be the one who had your gift returned the day after Christmas. The motive for some gift giving has shifted to giving the receiver what he or she wants, not what you want to get them. This leads to the second reason the cards are so popular.

Gift cards are "safe" for the giver. You always get it right with gift cards. The one who receives it will always like what she buys herself with the card you gave her. She will get what she wants or needs.

What happened to the risk of gift giving? That's right. What about the giver dreaming up "just the right gift" for someone because it reminds him or her about the person they are buying the gift for. Where's the risk of sharing what you feel about someone by the gift you give him or her? Why can't the love and imagination of the giver be the driver in giving the gift rather than the wants of the one receiving it? Why not risk giving a gift you thought was ideal for the person only to have them re-gift it or return it for something they prefer?

I am glad God did not choose to be safe in his gift of Jesus! What if he gave a safe gift like "choose what you want to do for me, something that you can do, and I'll count it to your righteousness?" Or, "I want you to be happy, so, tell me what you want, and I'll get it to you in a form in which you can decide how best to spend it on yourself." No, God loved each of us enough to send the gift God knew we NEEDED and that--even if we never figured it out--would be the One Gift that would bring us everything we ever longed for.

God risked giving his Son, Jesus, because he loved us, not because he was afraid we wouldn't like him. He still risks the possibility that we will return his Son for something more practical the day after Christmas (or, Easter). But, that is gift-giving motivated by love.

So, what's your take on gift cards? Post your comments below...

Posted by Gene Wilkes at December 27, 2005 07:11 PM