My dad’s church staff played White Elephant every year. Everyone brought a gift, and left with someone else’s. Most of the gifts were good, but there was a witch figurine that was brought each year, and whoever left with it had to display it in their home until the next year. Almost everyone went home happy with the exchange, but one person always left having brought a good gift and receiving the dreaded witch. But the person who brought the worst gift left having received something better. They were the real winner of the exchange.
This is a great description of what happens when we receive the gift of salvation. We give God our broken, sinful lives in exchange for salvation and eternal life. We can only receive that gift because Jesus was surrendered to the will of God in His life and death. We need to follow the example Jesus gave us by surrendering our own lives to God. Salvation changes the way we live as we dedicate our lives to Christ in adoration. When we truly place our faith in Christ, 2 Corinthians 5:14-17 reveals four exchanges that happen in our lives.
14 For the love of Christ controls us, because we have concluded this: that one has died for all, therefore all have died; 15 and he died for all, that those who live might no longer live for themselves but for him who for their sake died and was raised. 16 From now on, therefore, we regard no one according to the flesh. Even though we once regarded Christ according to the flesh, we regard him thus no longer. 17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. – 2 Corinthians 5:14-17
- Death is exchanged for life
In the physical world, life precedes death, but spiritually speaking, we start out dead in sin. The death and resurrection of Jesus is the only thing that can give us spiritual life. When we place our faith in Him, our sin is forgiven and our spiritual death is replaced with eternal life.
- Demand is exchanged for surrender
Jesus died for us so that we could live for Him. Truly believing in Christ as savior also requires submitting to Him as Lord. As humans we naturally live for ourselves, but as Christians our lives should be controlled by the love of Christ.
- Human perspective is exchanged for Kingdom perspective
Our natural point of view says that we should rely on ourselves and whatever resources we can acquire. When we rely on God, we realize that we live in a spiritual world and await a future home. This allows us to see every person in light of the gospel, either dead in sin or alive in Christ. When we see others this way we become overwhelmingly concerned for them instead of ourselves.
- My best is exchanged for God’s best
When we are saved, we are transformed into a new creation with a role to play in God’s mission. His love changes our own lives, and He also uses us to change the world around us. God uses our faith and submission to accomplish a work far greater than anything we could ever do on our own.
Holiday gift exchanges and games are fun, but life is more than a game. In His great love, God has exchanged our broken lives for eternal life in His perfect will. Christmas time is for celebrating the greatest gift the world has ever known.