Is there a way we can be confident weâre giving the right gift every timeâŠno matter what?
Weâre just a few days away from Christmas, and perhaps youâre still out there scrounging to find that last-minute perfect gift for someone.
Finding the right gift for that right person seems to come naturally for some. But for many of us, we struggle with finding the right gift. We worry⊠âWhat if they donât like it?â âWhat if itâs the wrong size.â âWhat if they already have one?â After all, none of us wants to give a gift that will later surface at some white elephant gift exchange!
So back to the question. Is there something we can give that we can be confident will be the right gift every time? I think there is.
Itâs a one-size-fits-all kind of gift. Itâs a gift that is always in season. Itâs a gift that is applicable in every culture. Itâs a gift that everyone needs. Itâs a gift that everyone wants more of. Itâs a gift that can impact a person forever. And best of allâŠitâs a gift that doesnât cost you anything.
What is this gift? Itâs the gift of appreciation. It is the right gift every time!
The desire for appreciation starts at an early age, and it doesnât go away just because weâve grown up. Appreciation communicates that we matter and weâre important. Who doesnât need to feel that? Appreciation can be like water to a thirsty soul and air to a drowning man.
Appreciation (or the lack of it) will leave itâs mark on a person. Think of a time when someone showed you how much they truly appreciated you. I bet you still remember it clearly and feel it powerfully. Thatâs the kind of impression showing appreciation makes. Like wise, I bet you can remember a time when someone didnât appreciate you. It too made an impression on you youâll never forget. Appreciation is a powerful gift, because it can actually effect the course of a personâs life.
There are many ways you and I can show appreciation, but here are three good onesâŠ
- Telling someone âThank You,â when they do something for you. This is a great way to start showing appreciation. âThank you for folding my clothes.â âThank you for working so hard for us.â âThank you for this great meal.â âThank you for keeping the yard looking nice.â âThank you for watching this movie with me.â âThank you for (fill in the blank.)â Itâs a simple thing to do and we should do more of it.
- Noticing someoneâs talents or gifts. âIâve always admired how you know just what to do in this kind of situation.â âYou did a great job on that.â âIâm so proud of you.â âI love the way you (fill in the blank.)â âYouâre so good at fixing things!â (By the way, that last one is not one my wife can legitimately use.)
- Telling someone how important they are to you. âI could not have done this without you.â âGod has used you to help me become better in this way.â âYou brought (fill in the blank) into our marriageâŠand I needed that.â âYouâre such an important part of my life and our kidsâ life.â
These are small things and they may not seem like much, but the people around us are starving for this kind of appreciation. When you show someone appreciation, you give them a gift that lifts them up and encourages them.
There are a couple of things you need to know about showing appreciation:
- You can always find something for which you can show genuine appreciation. You may be thinking, âBut you donât know this particular person. If I have to be genuine, then Iâve got nothing!â You probably feel this way because your frustration with this person has caused you to stop looking for the good in them. Youâre only focusing on the negative. But there is almost always something there you can appreciate. And once you find it, it will get easier to see more things to appreciate.
- If you show appreciation only to try to get something from someone, itâs not a gift. Itâs manipulationâŠand it wonât work. Appreciation is something that needs to come from the heart. You must mean it. This means, you may have some work to do on your attitude in order to show appreciation. Start with forgiveness. Consider all the things for which you need forgiveness, and this will make forgiving them easier to swallow.
Any time is the right time to give the gift of appreciation, but the holidays give us an easy way to get started. So if youâre looking for that last minute gift, try appreciation. Itâs the right gift every time!
For the next couple of weeks, try this experiment. Try making a conscious effort to show appreciation, especially to those with whom you struggle. Take note of the difference it makes, both in them and in you. Leave a comment and share the results of your experiment.
Copyright © 2014 Bret Legg