The Best Present Is Your Presence
As 2024 ends, it’s a time for thankfulness, reflection, hope, and celebrating Jesus’ birth. One of the greatest gifts we can offer at Christmas is our presence.
Presence isn’t merely about being in the same room with family and loved ones; it’s about using our eyes and ears to be truly present. Think it’s easy? Try turning off all electronics and genuinely engaging without checking your smartwatch, phone or thinking about other things for a period of time.
Did you know the average adult attention span is 8.25 seconds. Think about how many things are vying for your attention that are not helping you be present.
This Christmas, tune in and allow yourself time to unplug. Cherish the time you have and create lasting memories. Don’t let special moments pass you by. I spent years trying to make memories by looking through life from behind a 35mm camera lens. You cannot truly “live” life fully from behind a camera. While pictures are great for capturing memories, remember to put the camera down and live those moments in person.
Presence equals time. It’s the foundational building block of great and lasting relationships. In a world where technology constantly engages us with notifications and updates, it’s essential to give the greatest gift we can to ourselves and others – our presence and time.
Silence your phone, focus on being present, and create an environment where meaningful relationships can thrive. This simple change in your habits can significantly enhance your relationships and overall quality of life. Think of it as the gift of a power outage where your phone, computer, or tv have no power.
In my job, we’ve had countless training classes, seminars, and webinars on reading people’s emotions, facial expressions, and actions. We miss all the nuances during a conversation or negotiation if we are on our phones or multi-tasking on our laptops. Being present in business relationships requires effort. If we want to build lasting partnerships, we need to listen without thinking of how we’ll respond, make eye contact to show we’re engaged and care, and ensure our facial expressions are open and caring.
We can look to Psalm 16:11 to experience complete joy in our lives: “You make known to me the path of life; in your presence, there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.” Comple Joy comes from God. Are we giving Him our full presence?
Acts 3:20-21: “That times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord, and that he may send the Christ appointed for you, Jesus, whom heaven must receive until the time for restoring all the things about which God spoke by the mouth of his holy prophets long ago.”
Psalm 100:2: Serve the Lord with gladness! Come into his presence with singing!
1 Chronicles 16:11: Seek the Lord and his strength; seek his presence continually!
Psalm 31:19-20: Oh, how abundant is your goodness, which you have stored up for those who fear you and worked for those who take refuge in you, in the sight of the children of mankind! In the cover of your presence, you hide them from the plots of men; you store them in your shelter from the strife of tongues.
As you begin 2025, we wish you a year full of joy and full presence in every relationship.
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