The old couple had not been seen by their neighbors for several days. There was no light in the window—no answer at the door. Finally worried neighbors broke into the house and found the old man and his wife—unconscious.
They were rushed to the nearest hospital, but in spite of all that doctors and nurses could do, both died without regaining consciousness. "Starvation and exposure" were given as the cause of death by the coroner.
"I tried," said their next-door neighbor, "I tried to give them food, or money to buy fuel, but the man said they were too proud to accept help lie shut the door in my face!"
"Too proud to accept" the gift of God is the reason why numbers of people are perishing, spiritually, today.
The Lord Jesus Christ is God's "unspeakable gift." 2 Corinthians 9:15.
"The gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord." Romans 6:23.
We are "saved through faith... the gift of God." Ephesians 2:8.
Righteousness is also a gift (Romans 5:17). These gifts cannot be bought and they cannot be earned; they must be received as a gift.
Ever since the Lord Jesus Christ died for our sins and rose again, all things that pertain to life and godliness are free. "He that spared not His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things?" Romans 8:32.
To be too proud to accept such gifts from such a Giver will mean a worse fate than death from starvation. It will mean an eternity in the lake of fire.
"But as many as received Him, to them gave He power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on His name." John 1:12.