The Best Gift
“And she brought forth her firstborn Son, and wrapped Him in swaddling cloths, and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.”
Luke 2:7
On a busy December afternoon, I discovered that a nail was making my tire go flat. So, I went to get it fixed at a local tire store.
While I was there, one of the young men recognized me and came over to greet me. I didn’t recognize him, but when he told me his name, I remembered. He was a child that used to attend the first church I pastored several years ago.
The young man told me he never forgot an object lesson I used one Christmas.
I smiled, amazed that he remembered my simple lesson after all these years. God had hidden His word in the young man’s heart….
Like I said, it was a simple object lesson.
I showed the kids 2 gifts. One was wrapped with fancy wrapping paper, ribbon and bow. The other, a plain brown paper sack.
I held them up for the kids and adults to see.
“Which one is the best gift?” I asked. (Some of the bright kids pointed to the brown paper sack!)
I opened the fancy gift, and there was nothing inside! Then, I opened the brown paper sack and showed them the contents, a miniature manger scene.
I explained the Christmas story to them. Reminding them that Jesus was born in something like a barn, not in a palace.
The Son of God left His home in heaven, came to this Earth as a little baby, born of a virgin. He was born to parents who were not wealthy. In other words, He became poor for us.
“For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor, that you through His poverty might become rich.”
II Corinthians 8:9
I explained to the kids and adults that Jesus became like us, identifying with our humanity. He grew up, lived a sinless life, and offered Himself for our sins.
I told them that the fancy box looked good, but it was empty, explaining that things of this Earth were like that. It’s empty without Christ. He came to give us life abundant.
“The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.”
John 10:10
This Christmas, let’s rejoice and thank God for the best gift of all, His Son Jesus Christ.
