Prayer Gifting, Part 2
In my last column, I expressed the idea that we should add prayer as a gift of giving during gift giving celebrations. This was not a plea to do away with giving material things as a gift, unless that’s what you choose, but rather to consider prayer gifting instead of material gifting, or at least, as an added dimension to our giving character.
According to a survey by Harris Poll on behalf of SunTrust Banks, nearly 70 percent of Americans would skip exchanging gifts this holiday season if their family and friends agreed to it. And how many of us feel pressured by culture and unspoken expectations to spend inordinate amounts of money? Let alone the time consuming nature of shopping, comparing prices and brands, researching specifications, etc., etc.?
We have mitigated our personal circumstances by paying our oldest granddaughter to go online and make Pappy and Gi Gi’s Christmas acquisitions for us. What a time saver!
There seems to be a silent lament over some lost feeling of spirituality as it concerns Christmas. Is it a preoccupation with materialism? An overt anticipation of getting? Perhaps a societal sense of priorities misplaced? We make commitments that cost us in factual metrics, like, how much did we spend! And then the unfortunate inevitable comparison of who got what and how much, and the cost of it all.
Fairness or balance in spending. Wouldn’t it be great if we would start to edge away from the explicit notion that our gifting, and getting, based on a monetary cost, is how we judge our worth? I must spend more or I’m a bad giver, parent, grandparent, sibling or friend. Or: They didn’t spend as much on me so therefore I have been devalued.
I will reiterate that there is nothing inherently wrong with giving material things, but to put it into perspective, what if we started to agree not to, at least with adults, and instead of material gifts, we gave something more spiritual and in many cases, more beneficial for all involved, and that is a Prayer Gift. Or, we set off on a cultural course of Prayer Gifting.
I am calling on all Christians, especially Americans, to lead the way in resisting the over indulgence of materialism in all gift giving celebrations and to insert prayer gifting as a needed complement. And perhaps even as a considered replacement. We need to admit the excesses and augment or substitute something of Holy significance.
Where this differentiates somewhat from prayer requests, is that the Prayer Gifter/Giver fills out a Prayer Gifting card that make a commitment to pray for the Prayer Giftee. You each would get a copy, you could exchange prayer gifts, and for whatever commitment levels the Gifter could obligate themselves to. Maybe a minute a day for the next 12 months, remainder of the Calendar year, once per week on Mondays, each day for 40 days, etc.
The variations are practically endless.
I know that some folks/families do gift exchanges, so why not do Prayer exchanges? Prayer is sincerely talking to God. Intercession is sincerely talking to God about, or for someone else. My hope is to embolden the Church to move into a new gifting model for celebrations.
It would be great to know who is with me and willing to move into this new paradigm. Contact me via Facebook. Involve your church leadership and social circle. This isn’t rocket science, but it requires intentionality, authenticity and dedication.
Who wants to move past the superficial, and more into the supernatural? Who wants to get off the same hamster wheel of giving, and pledge themselves into a greater arena of freedom and enlightenment? We all have choices, and now what is your choice?
1 Timothy 2:1 – “I urge, then, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for all people.”
Tracey Gardone can be reached at www.traceygardone.com