The Importance of a Gift

I remember reading a story once about a Christian man who felt strongly prompted by God to give a watch to another man who was a member of his church. The watch was a nice one, but the giver felt embarrassed at the idea of giving it, because the person he felt he should give it to was a multi-millionaire. He wrestled with God..."Lord, this man has enough money to buy the best watches in the world many times over. My watch is not in that league, so why would he want this watch? He can't possibly need it."

However he had no peace and the strong prompting continued, so he stopped arguing with God and approached the rich man to give him the watch. "This is a gift for you" he said with a warm smile, despite feeling somewhat awkward. "Are you giving it to me?" replied the man, with a shocked expression. When he was assured that yes, it was a gift, the millionaire started to weep and revealed that this was the first time in the whole of his life that someone had ever given him a gift.

His father had been a millionaire and had been determined that his children would learn that money doesn't come without working for it. He had never been given any kind of present, not even on his birthday, even though his parents were so wealthy. So this gift of the watch was an immensely precious thing to him. He needed to receive a gift, or how could he understand the gift that God had given him in Jesus?

Do you remember the last time someone gave you a gift? It may not have been big, it may not have cost much, but it was an expression of their love and friendship. Gifts can touch our hearts, regardless of how big they are or how much they cost, because it's the thought and feeling behind it which is so precious. It tells us something about our value to that person, that they thought of giving something to us.

Do you know that God is a wonderful giver of gifts? Perhaps you can think of some examples in your own life of gifts that God has given to you - I certainly can. The most amazing of all is that He has given us His own son.

Would you reject the best gift someone can give you? Certainly not if you love them deeply. In today's verse, Jesus tells us about the most precious gift that God has given to Him. Do you know what that is? It is you and me. Jesus sees you like that - you are a gift to Him, given by His own beloved Father. You will most certainly be accepted with delight. He could never dream of turning you away - you are His Father's gift to Him. You are an expression of just how much His Father values Him. He could not begin to think of losing you and will never, never reject you.

What about you? If the person you love the most gave you a special gift, wouldn't you hold it close and keep it safe? Would you dream of letting it go? I don't think so! Nothing could come anywhere close to the value of this gift which Jesus' Father has given to Him. Let's rub our eyes in amazement as we realise that He is talking about us. He says: ‘Whoever the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will NEVER drive away’. He will never, ever, leave you or reject you. It's impossible! That would be like rejecting His Father.