“God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.” – 2 Corinthians 5:21
Have you ever been to a Christmas party with a white elephant gift exchange? Everyone brings a wrapped gift, usually quirky or inexpensive, and they’re placed in a pile. One by one, people choose a gift, with the chance to “steal” someone else’s or keep the one they picked. You could end up with something wonderful, but often, you’re stuck with something silly or unwanted—a gift you’re eager to trade for something better.
In a white elephant exchange, we all hope to swap our less-than-ideal gift for something valuable. But at Christmas, Jesus did something incredible: He came to exchange His best for our worst. He didn’t ask for a fair trade, and He didn’t try to pass off the “gift” of our sin and brokenness onto someone else. Instead, He willingly took it on Himself. He exchanged His righteousness for our sin, His perfect life for our mess, and His love for our rejection.
Why would He do that? Only one word can begin to explain: love. Love that reached down from heaven, love that saw our need and came near, love that chose the cross so we could be called righteous before God.
This Christmas, as we exchange gifts with others, let’s remember the greatest exchange of all—the gift of Jesus, who gave His all so we could receive God’s best. He came so that we could know the beauty, hope, and peace of being fully loved and fully forgiven. And that is the truest gift we’ll ever receive.