As far as I can tell, the first commercially produced Christmas cards were sold in 1843 and contained the words “Merry Christ-mas.” That is the same year “A Christmas Carol” by Charles Dickens was published. The main character, Scrooge, famously replied “Bah, humbug” when wished a merry Christmas by his nephew. You already know the story, so I’ll move on.

Last Sunday I visited an inmate in the Bonner County Jail. We spoke of Christmas and, at some point, he said to me “You can give without loving, but you can’t love without giving.” Giving is a big part of the Christmas season. The fictional Scrooge, at the beginning of Dickens’ story, and his counterparts in today’s world, have no interest in giving. Getting, in their view, is what it is all about.

Behind the gift giving at Christmas is John 3:16. “For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son...” God’s gift to us was love based. Possibly Jesus had that in mind when he said “It is more blessed to give than to receive.” (Acts 20:35) My inmate friend had it right. Loving involves giving.

Let’s check up on ourselves this Christmas. Is our giving based on love and not merely an attempt to look good? How much do you love God? What have you given Him? Some answers to these questions are far more likely to bring a genuinely merry Christmas than others.

Pastor Dan York can be reached at Dover Community Church.