An Outreach Publication of the Church of Christ at Creekwood  

The Only Gift

A man came home from work late again, tired and irritated, to find his 5-year-old son waiting for him at the door. "Daddy, may I ask you a question?"

"Yeah, sure. What is it?" replied the father.
"Daddy, how much money do you make an hour?"
"That's none of your business! What makes you ask such a thing?" the father said angrily.  
"I just wanted to know. Please tell me. How much do you make an hour?" pleaded the little boy.
"If you must know, I make $20 an hour." 
Looking up, the boy said, "Daddy, may I borrow $9 please?"

The father was furious. "If the only reason you wanted to know how much money I make is just so you can borrow some, then you march yourself straight to your room and go to bed. Think about why you're being selfish. I work long, hard hours everyday and don't have time for such childish games."

The little boy quietly went to his room and shut the door. The father sat down and started to get madder about his little boy's questioning. How dare he ask such questions only to get some money? After an hour, he calmed down and started to think he might have been a little too hard on his son. Maybe there was something he really needed to buy with that $9. And, he didn't ask for money often.

The father went to his son's room and opened the door. "Are you asleep, son?" he asked. "No, Daddy, I'm awake," replied the boy.

"I've been thinking. Maybe I was too hard on you earlier," said the father.  "It's been a long day, and I took my aggravations out on you. Here's the $9 you asked for."
The little boy sat up straight, beaming. "Oh, thank you Daddy!" he said.

Then, reaching under his pillow, he pulled out some more crumpled bills. He counted the money; then looked up at his father. "Why did you want more money if you already had some?" the father asked.

"Because I didn't have enough, but now I do," the little boy replied. “Daddy, I have $20 now...... Can I buy an hour of your time?" *

Ralph Waldo Emerson wrote, “The only gift is a portion of thyself.”

There is Another who loves you and me and longs for an enduring relationship with us.  He demonstrated His love for us by giving us a tremendous gift: the gift of HIMSELF (Galatians 2:20).  

Our sins separate us from God but Jesus gave His life as payment for our sins so that we can be reconciled to Him.  “For there is one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself as a ransom for all men -- the testimony given in its proper time” (1 Timothy 2:5-6).

If we will respond in loving obedience through: faith (Acts 16:30-31) and repentance (Acts 17:30-31), confessing Jesus (Romans 10:9-10), and being baptized (immersed) in His name (Acts 2:38), then our sins are washed away and we can be reconciled to God. Then as we continue to follow Him faithfully, He will continue to cleanse us from all sin (1 John 1:7).

Jesus gave more than a “portion” of Himself for us; He gave His ALL.  
He DIED so that we might LIVE!

Won’t YOU respond to His great love on His terms and LIVE for Him?

David A. Sargent, Minister

Church of Christ at Creekwood 
1901 Schillinger Rd. S.
Mobile, Alabama  36695

* Author Unknown

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