The Gift

What is the best gift you can give to your wife?  Flowers, perfume, jewelry?  How about for your husband?  Golf clubs, a new watch, power tools?  Mate you need to find something for your mother or your child or a good friend - what is the best gift?

The truth of the matter is that the gift matters much less than the spirit in which it was given. An old pocket knife given to a boy by his Grandfather who wanted to give him a connection will still be treasures long after myriads of much more expensive gifts received from people who gave because an occasion demanded it. And certainly an expensive gift from a husband in the doghouse means far less than a simple token of a loving husband's true affection.

As parents, we are quick to receive and exalt to the coveted place on the refrigerator any art attempt our small child makes for us. Those inexpensive treasures are held on to because they are given and received from and by the heart. But, what if we knew that our child ad to be fired by his teacher to make a Mother's Day card, that he only made it out of fear of penalty?

What if your husband tosses a piece of fine jewelry at you saying, "Here, I didn't want to spend the money but I felt I had to because it's our anniversary!"  Do we rally want gifts that are given under duress or required etiquette or out of some sense if responsibility against their true wishes?  Neither does God!

When we attend church services just because we think it required to stay out of hell, when we pay a tithe instead of making an offering from the heart, when read our Bibles or about out a prayer because of a perceived requirement; God is not moved, he is not honored, he is not touched by our perfunctory.

"While Jesus was having dinner at Matthew's house, many tax collectors and sinners came and ate with him and his disciples.  When the Pharisees saw this, they asked his disciples, “Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?” On hearing this, Jesus said, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick.  But go and learn what this means: 'I desire mercy, not sacrifice.' For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinner" (Matt 9:10-13).

What God is looking for, what our loved ones hold dear, the gift that really makes a difference and holds a place in our hearts is the gift that comes from our hearts. It could be something with a big price tag or a simple craft made by hand, it could be something that wows ours or something other's would not notice, it could be virtually anything as long as it is wrapped in your love. Your heart's affection is the gift your loved ones desire as does God. Jus' Say'n.