I couldn't do it.
I claim to love people, and I genuinely do care for those around me, but I don't think there's any way in the world that I could bring myself to do what He did - God gave us His only Son.
I couldn't do it.
I'm just not that compassionate. I love my girls too much. Actually, more accurately, I simply don't love others as much as them. If I were God, the world would be out of luck.
But, thankfully, I am definitely NOT God. And the salvation of the world does not rest on my shoulders, or upon the shoulders of my children.
Meanwhile, God demonstrated His absolutely incredible, totally amazing, and perfectly unselfish love to us - that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. While we were still ungrateful, rebellious little clods of nothing, the Creator of the Universe gave up His Son for us. And most of us carry on without a clue - focusing instead on the thousands of sparkling good things that so often overshadow the best. Like I said, I couldn't do it.
This Christmas, my prayer is that we all might recognize the jaw-dropping sacrifice that the day represents. God sent His perfect Son out of Heaven to be born to a poor Jewish couple in a remote Roman province. And, He did it for one purpose: so that His Son could die for people like you and me. Did I mention that I couldn't do it?
Jesus came to earth so that we might be saved through His death. God gave up His Son so that sinners like you and me could know Him. Suddenly, all the presents, the get-togethers, the decorations and the food seem quite trivial, don't they? Christmas is about the greatest gift ever given: the gift of a Savior. And I pray that you might know His saving grace and selfless love personally.