What tangible gifts does God give us? When I started thinking about this question I looked at it in human terms. Think about it, when you give a gift you find that perfect treasure and put it in a box or fancy bag, decorate it with bright colored paper and ribbon so it looks beautiful. Then we give it with hopeful expectation that the receiver will love it, right? Thinking about how humans give gifts made me chuckle at the thought of Jesus picking out a present for me and wrapping it in colorful paper and ribbon and leaving it on my doorstep while he hid somewhere waiting for me to grab the precious item. It was this strange thought that spurred on this article.
In order for me to make my point, I need you to think of a time you gave a gift that you were excited to give. Mine was a Christmas gift for my Mom when I was about 15. For years my mom had a picture of an old man praying over his bread. She loved the picture and over the years would mention how there was one of a woman too. They were a matching set. Well, this particular year I had about $40 I had saved from my first job and I went to the Christian Book store with my dad to pick up some gifts. As I walked into the store there was a little round table with some nick-knacks and there propped up against the table was the picture of the old woman! I was so excited. My only dilemma was that the picture cost nearly all my money. I didn’t care, that picture was going home with me. I had to use all my money to buy it but I was so excited I had found this for my Mom. It was absolutely perfect; I knew she would love it! Treasure it! It was a unique gift, one she hadn’t asked for so And it would be a complete surprise! Christmas day arrived and I put the wrapped treasure under the tree. I think I almost died with anticipation as she opened it. When she did she was so happy she cried. Today those pictures still hang in her house. So what does this have to do with my original question; what tangible gifts does God give us? Well, I looked to the book that has the answers and found this; “Behold, children are a gift of the LORD,
The fruit of the womb is a reward. Psalms 127:3”. So one of the gifts God gives are children. That made me ponder, was Jesus was as excited to give me my children, as I was to give my Mom the picture? Does Jesus get giddy waiting for us to unwrap all the wonders that our kids are? All they will teach us? How they will make us grow in patience and selfless sacrifice. Does he handpick our kids because he knows they are a gift needed in our lives? I think yes!
The next question I pondered was a little more challenging. Do I receive the gift like my Mom did, with tears of joy? To be honest most days I do not. Sometimes there are tears but they usually aren’t of joy. I instead get frustrated, and mad. I feel run down and run over sometimes. I complain that if only this or that could be different life would be easy. I want to put those little gifts in front of the T.V. so it can be quiet and I can think for a minute. Of course, it isn’t always like that, I love my children, but I don’t always view their testing of me as a gift.
I wonder, if we picture our children as a gift from an excited gift giver, one who feels the way I did when I found that treasured picture, and if we would be joyful, thankful, and grateful gift receivers, the way my Mom was when she opened the gift, then maybe instead of getting frustrated and upset we could view our children as instruments that refine us. We could look at them the way Jesus intended us to, as a perfect unique gifts designed just for us to treasure and love. When my kids were a little younger we would put a bow* from their birthday gifts in their hair. Did you ever do that? I think it is a good reminder that our children truly are tangible gifts straight from God.
*Although we put a bow on their heads apparently we didn't take any pictures of it and so a hat will have to do for now;-)
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