Would you want this for Christmas? Ralphie didn’t either.
His Aunt’s idea of a perfect gift didn’t exactly match his idea. In the classic movie, A Christmas Story, Ralphie has his heart set on a Red Ryder BB gun. But when he mentions it at the dinner table, his mother’s reaction is, “You’ll put your eye out!”
Undaunted, Ralphie makes it the theme of his essay at school. Sadly, his teacher reacts the same way. With Christmas almost upon him, 9 year old Ralphie is convinced a Red Ryder BB gun is the perfect gift for him, but will he get one? Should he get one?
The Perfect Gift
What is the perfect gift? I suppose it’s a magical combination of what a person wants and what a person needs. There is a surprise element to it. You don’t really know it’s coming, and it’s more than you could expect. Most importantly, it expresses a deep sense of personal love. Receiving such a gift makes you feel valued.
Christmas is all about this kind of gift. God enters our world in the form of a baby, because this child is the perfect combination of what we want (connection) and what we need (forgiveness). No one could have ever imaged receiving something like this, and God-in-person is far beyond what we could expect.
Great Value
Best of all, in the Christ child, we discover we are loved. Somehow in the vastness of our universe, the One who created it all wants to be with us. Wow. We must be of great value to Him.
As you give and receive bunny suits and BB guns this Christmas, know that the perfect gift has already come your way. And because of Him, you need never doubt that you are loved.
God is with us!
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Roger Ross
A native of Cambridge, Illinois, Roger has served as a pastor in Texas, the British Channel Island of Guernsey, and Illinois. While in Illinois, he led teams that planted two new churches and served for 10 years as the lead pastor of one of the largest United Methodist Churches in the Midwest. It was his privilege to serve as the Director of Congregational Excellence in the Missouri Conference before coming into his current role with Spiritual Leadership, Inc (SLI).
Roger now comes alongside pastors, non-profit leaders and their leadership teams as an executive coach, specializing in leadership that inspires change. As a side gig, he loves teaching evangelism and church planting as an adjunct professor at SMU’s Perkins School of Theology in Dallas, Texas.
Other passions of his include SCUBA diving in warm blue water, Krispy Kremes, and board games with family and friends. He also has a weakness for golf.
Roger is the author of three books, Meet The Goodpeople: Wesley’s 7 Ways to Share Faith, Come Back: Returning to the Life You Were Made For, and Come Back Participant Guide, all through Abingdon Press.
Now for the best part. Roger is married to Leanne Klein Ross, and they live Bloomington, Illinois. God has blessed them with two adult children, a son-in-law, several tropical fish, and one adorable granddog.
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