IT IS MORE BLESSED TO GIVE

It is More Blessed to Give . . .


Claudia was troubled.1 The year’s biggest celebration was coming and she had no gift to give her host family. An exchange student from a Europe still struggling to rebuild after World War II, her wealthy host family seemed to her to have everything in the world anyone could ever want.

What can you give people who already have everything?

Her host family had been so kind and generous to her. She knew in the up-coming celebration they would shower her with gifts as they did their own children. What did she have to offer people who had no needs and could buy for themselves anything that struck their fancy?

The big day drew closer and closer. Finally, two days before, Claudia knew just what she could do. Taking a bus downtown, she went to a nice department store and bought the prettiest babybaby dressesdress her money could buy and had it gift-wrapped. Leaving the store, she approached the doorman and asked, “Pardon, but you know where I can find where poor family live?”

He looked at her askance and turned away. She approached a policeman.

“A poor family? You don’t want to go there, miss. That part of the city isn’t safe. You go on home now and have a nice holiday.”

New York City is busy at any time of year and two days before a major holiday is no exception. Claudia felt very alone as busy shoppers rushed past. She began walking not knowing where to go next to finish her plan, worried that she would fail.

After awhile, she came to streets that were not as affluent as those she had been used to since coming to America. Here, the buildings were more run down; the people, not so nicely dressed. She heard the tinkling of a bell and, to her relief, saw a man in a red uniform ringing a bell next to a Salvation Army offering bucket. She knew the Salvation Army. They were in Europe, too.

Hesitant, shy, fearful of being rebuffed again, Claudia approached the man. “Pardon, but you know where I can find poor family?”

The man, a kindly grandfather sort, sensed there was more to the question. At his encouragement, her words, in stumbling English, fell on sympathetic ears.

The Salvation Army officer understood. “Yes, I do know a poor family. Too many, in fact. My shift is almost over. If you can wait a few minutes, I will take you to one.”

Hailing a taxi cab a little while later, the man gave directions to a tall tenement building. It certainly was poor. Claudia had not known such poverty even existed in America. The Salvation Army officer got out and held the door open for Claudia. She shook her head.

“No. Please, you take gift to them. It is not mine to give. Please explain: it is gift from someone who has everything.”

The cabbie drove her safely home but would not let her pay for the fare. He had listened to their conversation and was a man of understanding as well.

The big day of celebration arrived. The piles of presents did not disappoint. Claudia, as she had expected, received many generous gifts. When all had been opened, shyly, hesitantly, she tried, in her halting English, to explain why there appeared to be no gift from her.

“Please understand. I want to give you very special gift. But you have so much already. You need nothing I can give. Nothing I can buy can show my thank you from my heart for all you do for me. So, I buy prettiest baby dress I can find and give it to very poor family. They need much. I give it in your name. Is gift from you.”

The gratitude of the poor family was for them, Claudia explained, not her. This was her gift to them, who had everything.

Silence enveloped the room. Tears stood in the eyes of her host family. The beauty of her love gift was remembered long after Claudia returned home and continued on, as it inspired them to “go and do likewise” in the years to come.

A heart that loves, wants to give. Gratitude for love received finds its expression in giving in return.

But what do you give the one who has everything? gold present

Yahuwah has everything. In fact, He is the source of everything! What can a human give his Creator when everything is His to begin with?

Yahuwah Himself has told us the sort of gift He values most:

Pure and undefiled religion before Yahuwah Elohim is this: to visit orphans and widows in their trouble, and to keep oneself unspotted from the world. (See James 1:27.)

Yahuwah does not need a new shirt. He has no use for a book, a watch or the latest computerized gadget. The gifts Yahuwah cherishes are those gifts He would give were He on earth: loving, kind deeds; words of cheer and encouragement; food and clothes for those who need them; heavenly truths for the hungry soul. “Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.” (Matthew 25:40, NKJV)

Anything that is done to relieve the suffering or the ignorance of another is accepted by Yahuwah as a personal gift, given to Him. Yahushua assured: “For whoever gives you a cup of water to drink in My name, because you belong to . . . [Me], assuredly, I say to you, he will by no means lose his reward.” (Mark 9:41, NKJV) Even alleviating someone’s thirst, is accepted as done for Yahuwah!

The reason is simple: Yahuwah and Yahushua feel everything felt by Their earthly children. “For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points temped like as we are.” (Hebrews 4:15, KJV) Therefore, if someone is suffering hunger, Yahuwah feels the pangs of hunger as well. A gift of food provides relief from the pain felt by the hungry person which, in turn, relieves the pain Yahuwah feels when one of His children is suffering.

Words of hope and faith spoken to encourage a troubled, hurting soul, eases the emotional pain felt by Yahuwah when one of His children is sad and discouraged. Probably the greatest gift of all that can be given is the knowledge of truth. Multitudes are living in sorrow and the blindness of error and superstition. Giving them the gift of truth, so that they can rejoice in Yahuwah’s salvation and be saved into His eternal kingdom, is a gift especially treasured by the Heavenly Father.