It had finally come—the day Becky had been waiting for—her promised birthday shopping trip. She had received a gift of money from her uncle to spend on a birthday present, and now, finally, she and her parents were on their way to the mall.
In the toy store she stopped and picked up a doll. After careful deliberation, holding out her hand which clutched the folded bills, she asked, “Do I have enough for this?” Assured that she did, she put the doll down and, finding another, repeated the question. While Becky was thus occupied, she happened to notice a little boy about her age and his dad enter the store. Though the boy was clean and neatly dressed, his clothes were shabby and worn.
Unlike Becky, he knew exactly what he wanted. Picking up a model airplane kit he turned to his dad with a questioning, pleading look. The man sadly but resolutely shook his head. “Sorry, Jake, but I told you we can’t afford that. Let’s go get the baseball.”
Observing this, Becky became quiet as if lost in thought. Then, running to the shelf, she picked up the model, turned to her parents and said, “I’m ready.”
Though quite puzzled, they followed her to the checkout counter. There, as Becky held out her money she whispered something to the clerk. Giving her a surprised smile and thanking her, the clerk placed the box under the counter.
Soon, the little boy and his dad came to the counter. As Becky and her parents stood watching, the clerk announced to the disconsolate little boy, “Congratulations! You’re my twenty-fifth customer today and you win a prize!” His eyes widened in surprised delight as she handed him the model airplane.
“Oh wow!” he exclaimed to his dad excitedly. “That’s just what I wanted!”
After they had left the store, Becky’s mom turned to her and asked, “Honey, why did you do that?”
“Didn’t Uncle Steve tell me to buy something for my birthday that would make me happy?”
Her dad and mom nodded in agreement.
With a glowing face, Becky replied, “Well, that made me happy!”
It is infinitely more than mere money or material goods that believers have received as a free gift. No people on the earth are more blessed—richer—than we who know the Lord Jesus as Saviour, for each redeemed one can with joy say, “The Son of God, who loved me, and gave Himself for me” (Gal. 2:2020I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me. (Galatians 2:20)). Having received eternal life, a free gift of God (Rom. 6:2323For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. (Romans 6:23)), and all things that pertain to life and godliness (2 Peter 1:33According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue: (2 Peter 1:3)), we now have the highest motive for following the command of our blessed Lord, “Freely ye have received, freely give” (Matt. 10:88Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out devils: freely ye have received, freely give. (Matthew 10:8)).
Oh that it might be our daily joy to give to others from that boundless, divine treasure chest those true riches we possess in our Lord Jesus Christ!
Ed.