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A Child’s Gift

Ancient prophets saw our day, and they saw our weaknesses. Among those things they foresaw is that we moderns would struggle with – with in inordinate love of money and ‘toys.’ Well, perhaps it is timely to remind us all of a principle that Jesus taught:

He said, “Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven …” (Matthew 6:19-20)

Now, what does this mean? What is a ‘treasure in heaven?’ Well, I hope this story will illustrate.

I know a young man that we will call ‘John.’ He wouldn’t want you to know his real name. After finishing two years of faithful service to the Lord, he went off to college where he worked days, and went to school at night until he had completed a Master’s Degree. Along the way he married a sweet supporting wife and started a family.

After graduation, John was handpicked out of a large field, and hired by a company developing new computer technology. The company was an instant success, and John came into a more than considerable sum of money.

But, back in Idaho John’s parents were struggling. They had mortgaged their own home to purchase another one for a daughter, and the deal had gone awry. Now, these wonderful parents were reduced to working menial extra jobs just to keep from losing their own home.

One day John called home to talk with his mother concerning gift ideas for Mothers’ Day and Fathers’ Day. During the course of the conversation, Mom shared her worries about this grinding debt that had disrupted their lives. At that time, it was the farthest thing from her mind to ask her son for help, or expect it from him.

Evidently, the news deeply troubled John, and he kept calling back to ask how much they needed to clear the debt. Well, they were somewhat evasive in their answers, as you can understand. Finally, John put it straight to his mother, “Mom, how much do you need?”

Somewhat offhandedly Mom said, “Well, about $77,000 would pay off this vacant second home.”

She never expected what happened next. A few days later, a letter came in the mail. When she opened it up, inside was a check for $80,000 with a simple little note that said, “Pay off the house.”

Well, Mom and Dad tried to give the money back. John wouldn’t take it. They insisted that they would repay the money. But he wouldn’t have that either. Finally, John told his somewhat overwhelmed and tearful mother, “No, mom. I don’t want the money back. Mom, go spend the money.”

Well, Mom and Dad told me that they were so overwhelmed by so generous and loving a gift, that they would just be driving down the road, turn and look at each other, and just begin to cry when they realized that the debt was gone, and their son had given them back their freedom.

They story doesn’t end there, for you see there’s a touching postscript to this story. John’s aged grandparents live in an older run-down doublewide trailer in a small Idaho town. Their income is meager and fixed, and their health is declining.

One day Grandpa went to get the mail, when suddenly he called out to his wife, “Mother, come see this!”

Grandma comes, and Grandpa hands her a letter from John containing a check for $20,000. Why? – no reason, just to make their retirement a little easier. Grandpa and Grandma sat down right there and cried.

Now, my friends, “… where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.” (Matthew 6:21) “No man can serve two masters: …“ (Matthew 6:24)

I ask you this: If the Lord or his servants came today and asked for all of it, could you give it?

The Lord bless you.