The Gift

I want to share this story because it is an example of what makes me feel as if I am "coming home for Christmas." This feeling can happen any time during the year when someone offers us unconditional love, with no strings attached.

The symbol of the cross is a treasure to me, for obvious reasons. Recently, I was admiring a co-worker's pendant. It was a simple porcelain heart shaped with a raised cross inside and a plain brown background, strung by a thin, brown satin cord. I admired it precisely for its simplicity.

She told me it was a symbol designed and used by her church, a different denomination from my own. I told her again how much I enjoyed the beauty of the handmade piece. She removed it from around her neck and said, "I want you to have this as a gift from me." I was initially surprised that she would make such an offer and was slightly embarrassed about giving the impression of desiring something that belonged to her.

Rosemari repeated her offer of the gift, placing it in my hand. Now that she had given it to me, I felt the obligation to receive it. Seconds later, my eyes filled with tears in the realization of what that gift meant. The material value of the pendant itself was of little importance. The real value of the gift was in Rosemari's willingness to share a personal symbol of Christ's love by passing that love on to me.

I treasure that pendant because of what it symbolizes: the love we can freely give to one another. As I wear the pendant, I have told many people the story of how I came to acquire it. One day, I will pass the pendant on to another person in the same manner as it was given to me.

Read Matthew 6:19,21

Prayer: Lord, you have shown us the way to love one another by freely giving of your son through His birth, life and death on the cross, so that we might have abundant life. Guide us in giving freely to others both in small and big ways, not just at Christmas, but all through the year. Strengthen us in obedience to your commandment that we shall truly love our neighbors as we love ourselves. Amen.

--Barbara R.