When I was young, on Christmas Eve we would have my Grandma and Grandpa come to our house to celebrate. In my family, we did gift exchange on Christmas Eve, NOT on Christmas Day. We did not believe in Santa and our chimney leads to a blazing wood stove anyway.

I knew what I was going to get from my grandparents. Strangely, on reflection, I always remember it as being a gift from my grandma, but it must have been the two of them. It would come wrapped up about the size of a box for a model car kit, but squishy. I knew what it was immediately, of course. It would be a large pack of sweat socks… or sometimes (to throw me off)… dress socks. I knew better than to be demonstrably disappointed. I have never been much of an actor, but I think I was dutifully appreciative.

I got thinking about this repeating story, when I began thinking about getting socks today— whether as a gift, or as a normal purchase. Today, a pack of good socks seems like rather a nice idea.

That led me to some reflections:

#1. Why was I disappointed about something so absolutely useful and even comforting?

I think there are a few things. First, I NEVER needed clothes as gifts. My parents always bought me clothes. They always bought me shoes. They always bought me mittens or gloves. In general, a gift of a pack of socks was really a gift to my parents since they would not have to buy me those types of socks for awhile. Second, As a lot of kids (though not all) I had little interest in clothes. I wore them and I wore them out. That was about it. I do remember have opinions about what defined a good leather belt or a nice pair of sneakers. I do vaguely recall having an appreciation for a denim jacket I owned. I don’t remember having any real appreciation one way or another about socks.

#2. Why might my grandparents think socks would be a good gift?

First, upon reflection it occurs to me that at their ages socks feel good. I like a comfortable pair of socks today. I don’t recall having any appreciation for them as a child. As an adult feeling the accumulation of decades of aches and pains, a good pair of socks can be a great help. They probably felt that since socks make their lives better, they must make my life better as well. Second, to be fair— buying gifts is tough. I have no sense of what a 9 year old boy wants as a gift. Frankly, I struggle with what a 58 year old man (myself) wants as a gift. The coolest, most awesome present I ever received was a chemistry set. But that was from my parents— people who knew what their introvert science nerd son would appreciate.

Evangelism Reflections

Consider this scenario to be a cross-cultural setting (since to some extent, it is) and the gift of a pack of sweat socks from my grandparents is the Christian Faith.

My 9 year old self is a non-Christian in my own cultural setting. The gift of the Christian faith (sweat socks) may be free— but it doesn’t seem like much of a gift. My parents (my own cultural setting and traditions) already give me socks (my own cultural/religious faith) to meet whatever needs I have. And frankly, although I appreciate that my parents take care of my needs… I spend little time valuing socks as a nine-year old, just as the majority of the population in a non-Christian setting value, in some abstract sense, their cultural and religious heritage, but most don’t truly cherish it.

My grandparents have reached an age in their life where socks are indeed cherished. They value them, and therefore think I would value them too. They are like the Christians giving the gift of the Christian faith in a non-Christian setting. The Christian faith is valuable and important, but not valued necessarily by those who need it. Wrapping the gift in festive Christmas paper does not suddenly make it more valued. My grandparents, if they really knew me, might realize that some nice test tubes would be a wonderful gift that I would absolutely cherish. They, like most missionaries perhaps, don’t always know what their recipient would really cherish.

When we look at the first four or five centuries of the church, what was cherished in the Christian faith is not necessarily the “free gift of salvation.” It was commonly the care and concern for the needy that was identified, as well as the lengths they would go to demonstrate allegiance and piety to their Lord.

Titus 2:10 speaks of adorning the Gospel to make it more appealing to those outside the faith. However, what adorned the Gospel was not fancy wrapping paper, but behavior and virtues that others found commendable. Perhaps, if the socks came in a large pyrex beaker, they would have been more appreciated.

By the way, my last remaining grandparents passed on more than 30 years ago. If they were still alive… I would tell them, in full sincererity, “Thanks for the sweat socks!!”