December 26,1997
Dear Br. Gary:
Your generosity puts me to shame. Thank you for the box or fruit and $55.00 you gave us for Christmas. The fruit we ate and the $55.00 we spent, but the gift lingers in our mind, never to be forgotten, I mean this sincerely.
When a gift is given, we seldom realize its significance to the
recipient. While we appreciated the fruit and money, the real
value of the gift was not found in its material nature but in
the thought that lay behind it and the resources you expended
to bring it to us.
When you brought the box all the way from Morristown, rather then
simply sending it UPS or dropping a card and check in the mail,
the extra effort you expended gave value to the gift far beyond
its material coast.
When the Father decided to give his Son to the human race, and
that includes you and me, he sent him here in person. No half
way measures would suffice with God. He could have sent an angel
with a message of love, or spoke his sacrificial offering from
heaven, but nothing other then the actual gift would suffice.
During the years of eternity, both in heaven and on the New Earth,
this gift will yet linger with us never to be removed. We may
touch him with our hands, listen to his voice, speak with him
for countless ages and still the gift will be fresh and vibrant.
To be know by Christ, to shake his hand, to look deep into his
eyes, to sit with him on our front porch and converse with him
will be a joy that surpasses anything this earth can offer.
You have the spiritual gift of generosity or benevolence. Such
a gift originates with God for it is his nature to give, and give,
and give, and give, and...
This will probably surprise and may even unsettle you, but a thought just occurred to me. While fruit is good, just once in my fat life, I wish someone would give me a large box of sweet candy and fattening potato chips. I have a pet peeve about conditional generosity.
May the Lord reward you in this life and the next for the faithful
use of your talents and may you win many sons and daughters to
the Lord through the careful exercise of this gift.
May the Lord bless you, your brother in Christ.
Allen