Love is the best gift

I recently heard a story about a boy who lived with his aunt, as his parents had died. At the end of each school day he was never in a rush to go home, and so would stay to help the teacher tidy up the room. They both enjoyed this time, putting the chairs straight, returning pens to their pots and making the room look tidy again.

The boy didn’t say much, but when he did, he liked to speak about his mother. He remembered her as a kind and loving woman who always had time to spend with him.

As Christmas got closer the boy stopped staying after school and the teacher missed his help and company. As he was leaving one afternoon, she stopped him and asked him why he didn’t stay any more. She told him she missed him, and his large grey eyes lit up eagerly as he replied, “Did you really miss me? I was making you a surprise,” he whispered. The last day of term arrived and at the end of the day the boy remained in the classroom. “I have your present, I hope you like it.” He held out his hands, and there was a tiny wooden box.

“Its beautiful. Is there something in it?” she replied.

“Oh you can’t see what’s in it,” he replied, “and you can’t touch it, or taste it or feel it, but mother always said it makes you feel good all the time, warm on cold nights, and safe when you’re all alone.”

The teacher gazed into the empty box. “What is it,” she asked gently, “that will make me feel so good?”

“It’s love,” he whispered, “and mother always said it’s best when you give it away.”

This Christmas, Christians celebrate that most wonderful of gifts – the gift of love. God created the world out of love and wanted people to know how much they were loved by him. And so he sent his son, Jesus, to live on earth and to tell, and show, people what God was like; that he loved them and cared for them, and wanted them to share that love with others. As the boy told his teacher, love can’t be seen, but we can see the effects when love is shared. As we receive, and are reminded of, God’s love for us this Christmas, let us pass that love on to others, remembering that our company, our time and our love is worth more than any present we can buy.

May God bless you this Christmas.