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An
Outreach Publication of the Church of Christ at
Creekwood |
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The Gift of Love William Sydney Porter (under the pen name of O. Henry) wrote a short story entitled The Gift of the Magi, first published in 1906. The story is about a young husband and wife, Jim and Della, who were rich in love but quite poor financially. Jim was making $20 a week and after rent and groceries, the couple had little money left and Christmas was only a day away. Both Jim and Della had possessions of which they were quite proud. Jim had a gold watch that had been passed from his grandfather to his father and finally to him. And Della? Della had long, beautiful hair. Della wanted desperately to buy a watch chain for her husband’s gold watch. Yet despite her very best efforts to save up money, she only had $1.87. But then it suddenly dawns on her a way in which she could get some more money. She went to a woman who sold hair products and asked her if she would buy her hair. The woman paid Della $20 for her hair, just enough for Della to amass the $21 needed to buy the watch chain for her husband.... Della is excited about the gift that she has purchased for Jim, but she is also concerned about his reaction to her having her hair cut off. Her fears are intensified when Jim comes home and stares at her in disbelief and bewilderment. She explains to him that she sold her hair to buy a nice Christmas present for him. Jim tells her not to worry; nothing can change his love for her. There was an additional reason for Jim’s shock at Della’s actions than the change of her physical appearance. One does not learn of this reason until Jim presents a gift to Della that he has purchased for her. Della unwraps the gift and discovers a set of beautiful combs. Della had seen these combs in a store window and yearned over them, but had resigned herself to the fact that she could never afford them. Now she had them for her own, but her beautiful hair in which she could wear the combs was gone. Della’s disappointment is overshadowed by the joy of giving Jim her present. She eagerly presented Jim the watch chain only to discover that he had sold his watch in order to purchase the combs for his beloved wife. EACH of them had sacrificed their most precious possession out of love for the other! O. Henry’s beautiful story reminds one of the love of Another who gave His most precious “Possession” in order to demonstrate His love for YOU and for ME. “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life” (John 3:16). God
gave His GREATEST possession in order to meet
our GREATEST need: In order to enjoy the blessings of His great Gift, we must accept it on His terms by: believing in Jesus (Acts 16:30-31), turning from our sins in repentance (Acts 17:30-31), confessing Jesus before men (Romans 10:9-10), and being baptized (immersed) into Christ for the forgiveness of our sins (Acts 2:38). “Thanks be to God for His indescribable GIFT” (2 Corinthians 9:15). Won’t YOU respond in loving obedience to Him who loves US so much? – David A. Sargent, Minister Church of Christ at Creekwood To Subscribe to "Living Water" send a blank e-mail to:
HTML version: subscribe-livingwater@lyris.dundee.net Follow this link to locate the church of Christ nearest you: www.churchzip.com Archived issues of "Living Water" can be accessed from our website at: www.creekwoodcc.org
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