The first gift of God to humanity, often considered from the Genesis narrative, is life itself, breath, a physical body, and a home in the Garden of Eden, with interpretations varying to include the first spoken commandment ("Be fruitful and multiply") or even a moral command. In Christian theology, the most precious "first gift" is often seen as salvation and righteousness through Jesus Christ, a later revelation.
Breath was the first gift that God gave to mankind. It's the sign of life, hope and promise. Sadly, because of bad air, this very gift has been weaponized against us with, in far too many cases, years being taken from our lives — just from breathing.
The wise men brought myrrh to baby Jesus primarily for its powerful symbolism, representing his eventual sacrificial death and burial, even though it was a valuable substance used for anointing, perfume, and embalming in the ancient world, foreshadowing his role as a suffering savior and the remedy for humanity's sins. It was a prophetic gift, signaling that this King, born to save, would also die to achieve that salvation, a truth later fulfilled when myrrh was used to prepare His body for burial.
The 7 gifts of the Holy Spirit
The "5 Gift Rule" for men (or anyone) provides a structured, thoughtful approach to gift-giving, focusing on quality over quantity by choosing one item from each of these categories: Something they want (wishlist item), Something they need (practical essential), Something to wear (clothing/accessory), Something to read (book/magazine), and Something to do/experience (tickets, hobby item, or a fun surprise they didn't know they needed).
Popular gifts for men often fall into categories like high-quality essentials (e.g., durable pants, nice socks/gloves), tech gadgets (e.g., smart home devices, monitor light bars, streaming devices like Apple TV), hobby-related gear (e.g., grilling tools, outdoor gear like water filters), personalized items (e.g., engraved decanters, custom accessories), and experiences or consumables (e.g., gourmet food/drinks, cocktail sets). Focus on practicality, upgrades to everyday items, and things supporting their specific interests.
Three elements must be met for a gift to be legally valid:
Wisdom is considered the first and the greatest of the gifts. It acts upon both the intellect and the will. According to St. Bernard, it both illumines the mind and instills an attraction to the divine.
Three gifts are explicitly identified in Matthew: gold, frankincense and myrrh; in Koine Greek, these are chrysós (χρυσός), líbanos (λίβανος) and smýrna (σμύρνα). There are various theories and interpretations of the meaning and symbolism of the gifts, particularly with respect to frankincense and myrrh.
Myrrh gum is commonly harvested from the species Commiphora myrrha, which is native to Yemen, Somalia, Eritrea and eastern Ethiopia. Another commonly used name, Commiphora molmol, is now considered a synonym of Commiphora myrrha.
The Bible doesn't specify what Mary and Joseph did with the gold, frankincense, and myrrh, but tradition suggests they used the valuable gifts to finance their flight to Egypt to escape King Herod, with gold providing currency and the resins potentially used for medicinal purposes or as valuable trade goods, while the gifts also symbolically foreshadowed Jesus's kingship, divinity, and eventual sacrifice.
Gold in the bible symbolizse wealth and beauty but it also often represents purity, refining and is also a metal that God places a lot of value in. Biblically, it is usually referred to as a precious commodity partly because it is rare but also due to its purity both physically and spiritually.
That is the greatest gift that any of us can ever receive. It is the gift of the Resurrection and eternal life.”[ii] I certainly agreed with that statement as well. Christ gave His life for us so that we could be resurrected and receive eternal life, returning to the presence of the Father.
Because God is omniscient, He knows everyone before their conception and birth. He knows those that are His and those that are not His, He isn't bound by time. Before Jeremiah was born, He appointed Jeremiah to be His prophet and appointed him to be God's messenger to the people.
Right from the start, then, God has company—other divine beings, the sons of God. Most discussions of what's around before creation omit the members of the heavenly host. That's unfortunate, because God and the sons of God, the divine family, are the first pieces of the mosaic.
Myrrh symbolizes suffering, sacrifice, death, and burial, due to its use in embalming and as a pain reliever, notably foreshadowing Jesus' passion and resurrection in Christian tradition. It also represents bitterness, holiness, consecration, and healing, as it was used in medicine, perfume, and anointing oils, transforming pain into fragrance.
The Bible speaks of three Holy Spirit manifestations that are often called the power gifts of the Holy Spirit — faith, healing, and miracles (1 Corinthians 12:9-10).
The Holy Trinity is the belief that God the Father, Jesus the Son, and the Holy Spirit are one in the same. Each of them has a role and exist as three entities, but they ultimately comprise one main entity.
God will reveal our gifts through His Holy Spirit. Believers should pray and study what God says about gifts in His Word. We should also remember God uses other believers to affirm our gift. Sometimes God may also use spiritual gift assessment tools to reveal His gifts.
Giving is the ultimate gift of life – and you don't need money or special skills to do it. The best way to give to others is to be fully present. To give deeply of yourself, your time and attention. The gift of presence, of experiencing every moment fully, is also the greatest gift you can give yourself.
The Takeaway
The word of wisdom is a spiritual gift given to Believers by the Holy Spirit. It is supernatural wisdom to know things and what to do with that knowledge that would otherwise not be known. It works closely with the word of knowledge and the gift of prophecy.
The 7-Gift Rule for Christmas is a system to make holiday giving more intentional and less overwhelming by giving each person seven specific types of gifts: Something they want, something they need, something to wear, something to read, something to do, something to share/for the family, and sometimes a "something to eat/treat" or "something for me/self-care". This framework encourages thoughtful, varied presents that nourish different aspects of life (mind, body, fun, family) while helping with budgeting and avoiding excessive clutter.
The 5 Gift Rule is a popular minimalist approach to holiday gift-giving, especially for children, that simplifies shopping by focusing on five thoughtful categories: Something they want, Something they need, Something to wear, Something to read, and Something to do (or experience), reducing clutter and focusing on meaning over excess. It provides a structured framework for balanced, purposeful gifts, ensuring a mix of fun items, practical necessities, and memorable experiences, rather than just a pile of toys.
A gift is property, money, or assets that one person gives to another while receiving nothing or less than fair market value (FMV) in return. Under certain circumstances, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) collects a tax on gifts.