The Absurdity Of The Gift

In our house birthdays are special celebrations.
The birthday flag is hung up outside…the birthday banner is hung across the mantle.
Birthday signs are scattered throughout the house…and on the person’s bedroom door.
The YOU ARE SPECIAL plate is used!

Presents go in the special place in the family room.
A “just right” balloon is chosen to attach to the presents.
The birthday person gets to pick their special dinner…homemade or a favorite restaurant.
The evening ends with the Gallagher homemade birthday cake: chocolate chip/sour cream.

Appropriate number of candles on the cake…with one to grow on!
The one to grow on is usually the number candle representing their year.

When the children were little, we would always make our special birthday cake for Jesus.
It was our way to keep the focus on Christ.

One of my daughters helped her friends at their church this weekend.
The church was having a Happy Birthday, Jesus party.

My daughter came home telling many sweet stories of things the children did at the party.
There was a video with children answering questions about Christmas.
Their own special artwork followed the response.

One question was asked of a little girl.
What one gift would you give Baby Jesus for His Birthday?
A snowball, she said.
The picture showed this precious little girl with a priceless snowball in her hand.

I was touched at the innocence of her response.
My daughter was touched as well.

Some adults may laugh at the absurdity of her gift.
A snowball?
Doesn’t she know it will melt?
Doesn’t she know it won’t last?
Doesn’t she know…?

Jesus knows.
Jesus is delighted with the gift of her snowball.
Taking something He created…and giving it back to Him.
Priceless!

As He looked up, Jesus saw the rich putting their gifts into the temple treasury. He also saw a poor widow put in two very small copper coins. “I tell you the truth,” He said, “this poor widow has put in more than all the others. All these people gave their gifts out of their wealth; but she out of her poverty put in all she had to live on. (Luke 21:1-4)

This tender story demonstrates true giving.

The temple had trumpet shaped receptacles for the people to deposit their money.
The rich came with their many coins.
One can only imagine the sound that would make!
Everyone within earshot would know the size of the offering being given.

The widow however, had two leptas.
Copper coins hammered so thin you could almost blow them away.
When she deposited her offering into the receptacle, it would not have made a sound.
Jesus heard!
Jesus saw!

The beauty of the woman’s gift was that she had two coins.
She could have kept one for herself and given one as an offering.
Yet, she gave both coins as her offering.
She gave all she had to God.
She held nothing back.

The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and a contrite heart, O God, you will not despise. (Psalm 51:17)

God loves empty hands.
Thin, hammered coins.
Melting snowballs.
Broken spirits.
Contrite hearts.

God delights in the offerings of His children.
Taking something He created and giving it back to Him.
Offering ourselves…the absurdity of the gift.

Doesn’t He know…?
Yes…He does.
He is pleased.