As usual, I have my list of people to buy presents for. Parents, sister, brother-in-law, nephews, grandmother, friends, etc. The list goes on. But what about the Child in the manger? The one who became the Messiah and Savior? What will I give Him this year? What would He want from me? After all, it is His birthday we’re celebrating.

I think more than any talent or activity, He wants my heart. He wants me to love who He loves, to hate what He hates for what it does to the people He loves. He wants my heart to break for the things that break His heart. He wants every ounce of my passion and emotion to burn for Him and Him only.

Also, I think He wants me to be able to recognize Him in His various guises. He may be that person sitting by themselves at Kairos or the homeless lady pushing a shopping cart down Broadway. He may the AIDS patient spending Christmas alone in a hospital room or a mother grieving over the children she will never have. Wherever the least of these are, He’s there.

He wants me to not just recognize Him there, but to feed Him, clothe Him, minister to Him, cry with Him, and spend time with Him. When we give even a cup of cold water in His name to one of the outcast and broken, we are giving it to Jesus.

He wants me to be Him to those around me. He wants others to see Jesus in me and not pat me on the back or say how great and wonderful I am, but how glorious and awesome is this Jesus! After all, the only beautiful part of me is Jesus in me, shining through me, and loving others with my hands, my feet, and my heart.

That’s what I want to give Jesus for His birthday: me.