A Gift From the heart

A mother was heading up the stairs with a basket containing the last load of folded clothes, herding her three little ones in front of her  for
bedtime. Her oldest child, who was then in kindergarten, picked that moment to begin one of those questions that seem to intrigue all children sooner or later. “Mommy,” she asked, “If it were the end of the world, and everyone was getting ready to die…” The mother stopped, shifted the basket on her hip, and said an ultra-quick prayer for wisdom to answer this question. “Yes?” the mother prodded her daughter. The little girl finished her theological inquiry: “If the end of the world came, would you still have to take your library books back?”  That young lady didn’t want any unfinished business in her life.

But then, most of us have unfinished business in our lives. It is part of the human situation to put things off to a more convenient time. Whether it’s a book we have borrowed, a letter we ought to write, an unfinished job around the house or a broken relationship that needs mending—we are all good at procrastinating tasks, especially those which are unpleasant. It is the last of these I want to focus on here. Christmas is a great time of year to mend broken relationships. Why? Simply put, it is the celebration of Jesus’ birthday. If you want to give Him a present He really desires I suggest you look at your list of relationships. Nothing disturbs a parent more than knowing that two of his children are not getting along. Therefore, nothing will please Him more than knowing they have made peace with each other. Now let’s understand that this gift doesn’t come at discounted price. It will cost you a great deal—your pride mostly. But then, how many times do you get the opportunity to give a gift that is “Just right”—deeply desired and wonderfully appreciated? Make no mistake, you can’t improve on this gift.

So why not really splurge this year and give the very best to your Lord on His birthday. If there is someone in your family, among your fellow employees or on your block to whom you haven’t spoken because of some perceived or real problem, why not offer this person up to the Lord as a target for your gift of reconciliation. It’s truly a gift from the heart.


 

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