“For everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith. Who is it that overcomes the world? Only the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God” (1 John 5:4-5, New International Version).

A computer? New clothes? A bike? What are you buying your children for Christmas? How about a pair of shoes? You can have the LeBron XIII iD Basketball Shoe for only $245! (See LeBron XIII iD Basketball Shoe.) My father was the head coach of a high school varsity basketball team for all of my childhood. He passed away years ago and celebrates Christmas in the Father’s house these days. I wonder what he thinks about $245 basketball shoes! I imagine that his whole team was outfitted for that amount back in the day, from hand-me-down jerseys with no name on the back, to short shorts, to knee pads, to knee-high socks, to white canvas basketball shoes. You were extravagantly special if you wore high tops!

Perhaps the LeBron shoe costs so much to support the lifetime deal that Nike and LeBron James signed this month. Reports are that King James and Nike agreed to the first lifetime contract in the company’s history. The deal is reported to be worth $500 million or more! (See LeBron Shoe Contract.)

You probably expect me to launch a diatribe against the massive amount of the contract. It’s tempting, given the paltry salaries of those who teach our children…sport vs. education? Or given the dire circumstances of my friends in Nicaragua and other countries…sport vs. survival? But amount of money is not the real issue. If people are willing to buy the shoes, then LeBron might as well be willing to accept the money. After all, you never know when he might need an extra half a billion dollars for emergency expenses like new tires or plumbing repairs!

The crux of the issue lies in the company name. (See 11 Things Hardly Anyone Knows About Nike.) Other than being the name of this successful shoe company, Nike is also the name of the Greek mythological goddess of victory, represented masterfully by a sculpture in the Louvre Museum in Paris known as “Winged Victory.” The implied message in the shoes is that if you spend hundreds of dollars on Nike shoes this Christmas for your child, you are providing the tools that will carry him or her to victory.

Back when sandals were the shoe of choice, the word “nike” was still a common word. In one letter in the New Testament, John used a form of the word “nike” four times in just two verses. In 1 John 4:4-5 (see above), “nike” is translated both “overcome(s)” and “victory.”  His point is simple: victory (“nike”) lies in belief in Christ.

Herein lies the lesson in the LeBron contract with Nike. It’s never about the amount of money…how much we have or don’t have. After all, wouldn’t we all like to experience a King James version of Christmas morning once in our lifetimes?! It’s not about amount; it’s always about value.

The amount a Christmas gift costs is not nearly as important as the value it reveals. Even before Christian parents look at the price tag of a potential gift, you should look at the value it teaches your children. What does the gift say about being victorious in life? If the most important value you have for your child is to be the best basketball player (or at least the most expensively adorned one), buy the shoes. If your ultimate value is to separate family members to maintain quiet around the house, buy a video game (insert my sarcasm here).

The supreme value for Christian parents ought to be to lead your children to a real faith in Christ. The job of Christian parents is to make sure your gifts preach the values that you want your children to hear.

Parents, your Christmas gift, however expensive it may or may not be, should reveal to your child something about the ultimate Value of life, the primary Source of victory, who just happened to be a Child Himself.

If you wish, go ahead and buy the shoes. Just make sure that you lead your child’s steps in those shoes to true “nike,” a living relationship with Christ.

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