The True Spirit of Christmas

It has been said that the true spirit of Christmas is in giving to others. To whom do we give? Perhaps to family or friends. Maybe to strangers in need. The boy in the song The Little Drummer Boy gives us the perfect example; we should give to Jesus Christ, the Savior and Redeemer of the world. The small boy witnessed others honoring the King by giving him their finest gifts. The poor boy knew he could not offer the King a gift as valuable as others had. What he could offer baby Jesus was to play a song on his drum. Mary approved and he played is very best. Even though he only had his talent of drumming to give the Savior, he still played his absolute best. His efforts were appreciated by the baby Jesus as he smiled at the boy and his drum. This story provides a great blueprint for what we can give the Savior.

Everyone lives under different circumstances. We may not be blessed monetarily, but each of us has something to offer him who has given us so much. As I contemplate about what I could give the Savior, I think about my time and how effectively I manage it. Using my time to become a better disciple of Christ is a gift I could give him this Christmas. Time seems to be a commodity that we all want more of. I feel that we do not need more time, we just need to manage it better. Some questions I ask myself about my time management include:

-Am I magnifying the talents he has given me by helping others?

-Am I wasting time by watching TV or playing video games, neglecting the needs of those around me?

-Am I learning more about Jesus and his teachings by regularly studying from the Bible, the Book of Mormon, and teachings of the living prophets?

-Am I applying the teachings I have studied in my life?

-Am I showing the love the Savior has for me to my family members and friends?

My gift for the Savior this holiday season and throughout the New Year is to manage my time more effectively and use it to become more Christlike. May we all take the time to give whatever we can to the Savior this year. And like the little drummer boy, may we give our absolute best to him who has given us his the ultimate gift, even that of his life.