THE GREATEST OF GIFTS

          In a season when many of us are contemplating the giving of gifts to family and friends, we are reminded of the touching “Christmas“ story penned by O. Henry.  In The Gift Of The Magi, William Sydney Porter communicates a powerful drama of sacrificial love.  The Gift tells how, in very

difficult times, one couple whose love for each other ran quite deeply managed to secure the funds to buy one another a gift.  The husband sold his choice pocket watch (his prized possession) in order to buy his precious wife a hairpin for her long, beautiful hair (which he adored).  In turn, the wife cut her hair and sold it to buy him a fob for his prized watch.  Of course neither knew of the intentions of the other until it was too late.  Such a story, while it moves us deeply, is dwarfed by the message of Scripture.  The Bible tells a story of love that is so profound that mankind can scarcely comprehend it.  “God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son” (Jn.3:16).  “While we were yet sinners, Christ died for us” (Rom.5:8).  “(God) made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him” (2Cor.5:21).

          THE GREATEST GIFT comes to us first in a wooden manger and then ultimately on a wooden cross.  The gift that began miraculously with the birth of the incarnate Christ to a virgin named Mary in Bethlehem of Judea (Mt.1:25ff), came to full maturity in Jerusalem some thirty-three years later with the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ.  The apostle Paul proclaims, “I delivered to you as of first importance what I also re-

ceived, that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures (1Cor.15:3-4).  While the birth of our Lord Jesus was a glorious event (albeit humble), His birth is not the overriding theme of Holy Writ.  

Instead, our eyes are directed to The One lifted up (Jn.12:32) - - only the cross of Christ communicates the full magnitude of the greatest of gifts. 

Were the  whole realm of nature mine that were a present far too small;  Love so amazing, so divine, demands my heart, my life, my all.