I will always remember the day that three distant cousins of Reva came to say their last goodby’s. It was a sunny day in July of 2014. I had never met them before. When they rang the door bell, I invited them in and they hugged Reva. I could see the shocked look on each face as they saw how very thin she now was. Reva had been giving family members special gifts as they came by. It made her happy during her last days. When they were getting ready to leave, Reva said, “I have something special for you to have.” She wasn’t able to move from her cushioned chair and said, “Allen. Will you bring those three angel vases to me.” These were three of her favorite vases. I gathered them up and gently gave them to her. I could see she was excited to give each of them a present.
But then the unexpected happened. As she painfully reached out to give the angels to them, the oldest cousin looked at them and said, “Oh no, that’s okay Reva. We really don’t need them. Give them to someone else.”
I ushered them out the door as they said their hurried goodby’s. I looked at Reva, and she had tears rolling down her cheeks. Until that very moment, I had never seen her cry all the time she was in hospice care.
This Christmas Season, it is a wonderful thing to give gifts to loved ones. However, it is also a time to receive gifts, no matter what. Whether it is a little clay object of some sort made by a child’s hands, an expensive gift, or even a joke you’ve heard a hundred times. The material price of a gift, be it simple or elaborate, still comes from another person’s heart. When you accept it, it symbolizes you accept them. May you accept the gift of Jesus Christ this Christmas Season. God has given you His greatest gift.
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