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James 1:17 Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows. 18 He chose to give us birth through the word of truth, that we might be a kind of firstfruits of all he created. NIV

 

Can we talk about underwear for a second? It is a subject that has gone down in my family folklore and the story has been passed down to my kids and will likely be told to theirs. It happened on my twelfth birthday. My mother, who is a sensible shopper, realized that the supply of her preteen’s undergarments was getting to look a little “ragged”.  Her solution was to go down to the local Bargain Harold’s store and purchase a few pairs in case, God forbid, I would get in an accident and would be caught in unacceptable briefs. And since it was my twelfth birthday she would wrap them up with a bow for my special day.

 

At this point you may be predicting where this story is going, however, there is a bit of a twist. As I opened up the “gift” I could not hold back my disappointment but not because it was underwear but because of the material it was made of…. terry cloth.

 

For those who are not in the know of their fabrics, it is the same material that your bath towel would be made of. To be honest, I was not sure if I was to wear them or dry my hair with them! What would my friends be saying as I got changed in gym class? No, these baby blue fashion statements would remain in their original package in the drawer and an all-out underwear drought ensued until they were given a chance. It was a war I refused to lose and the package remained in my drawer until I left for college half a decade later. I say all that to say this… for a 12-year-old, terry cloth underwear is not the perfect gift. In fact, it was a terrible gift.

 

Fortunately, when it comes to God’s gifts, they are never bad. As a matter of fact, James highlights the fact that every good gift and perfect gift is from above. He uses the word “gift” twice but in the original language, it is two different Greek words denoting the gift and the giving of a gift. The truth is that human gift-giving can certainly be flawed. It may not be sincere, and it may not be sensible. It may not be sufficient, or even suitable. But the goodness of God knows all that is good for us.

 

In short, God never gives a bad gift. And when we consider that, it is an incredible thing to observe the goodness of God; that He embodies everything that is good. And to add to all of this James reminds us that God is immutable…that He does not change like shifting shadows. His goodness is consistent. His goodness is continual. His goodness is constant. His goodness is considerate! It is seen when he died on a cross, when life to the full is promised, and every day I observe his acts of kindness and provision.

 

So, for those of you who may not have been given the perfect gift this Christmas, birthday, or anniversary please remember this: every gift that man may seek to give you is like terry cloth underwear in comparison to what God gives graciously every day in our lives.