Philip Jensen wrote an article recounting a childhood story of his. In it, he brings us back in time to when he was just a kid, receiving a christmas gift from his grandmother whom to him was "the relative with the least grasp on the reality of life". In light of this, he had assumed that the gift that now sat in his hands were laxatives from a granny who had lost it completely and was dreading the moment that he had to open it in front of the entire family without looking awkward.
All he could manage was a customary response taught to all polite young boys:“Thank you Nan, it was just what I wanted.” Jensen expressed his mixed emotions at that moment-- one of pleasure—for she was a loving old woman—and yet pity, tinged with confusion, for he really did not know what to say or do.
But when the moment of truth came, he was greeted not with laxative pills but three penny pieces in that gift box. Relief he was, but embarrassment was the emotion of the day. On hindsight, he reflected something about his attitude which then made me realise that it was not just any childhood story, for I too, have been guilty too many times of failing to understand the true essence of (not just giving) but receiving gifts.
"My well-mannered reception of her gift had masked an arrogant disdain for the giver. I did not appreciate the value of what I had been given, I did not respect or trust the person who gave it to me, I was too full of my own prejudicial pride to bother carefully examining the gift.
It is more blessed to give than to receive, but it takes more humility to receive than to give. How often people treat God's great gift of Jesus with my childish prejudicial pride, making the offensively polite responses, while despising the giver."
All he could manage was a customary response taught to all polite young boys:“Thank you Nan, it was just what I wanted.” Jensen expressed his mixed emotions at that moment-- one of pleasure—for she was a loving old woman—and yet pity, tinged with confusion, for he really did not know what to say or do.
But when the moment of truth came, he was greeted not with laxative pills but three penny pieces in that gift box. Relief he was, but embarrassment was the emotion of the day. On hindsight, he reflected something about his attitude which then made me realise that it was not just any childhood story, for I too, have been guilty too many times of failing to understand the true essence of (not just giving) but receiving gifts.
"My well-mannered reception of her gift had masked an arrogant disdain for the giver. I did not appreciate the value of what I had been given, I did not respect or trust the person who gave it to me, I was too full of my own prejudicial pride to bother carefully examining the gift.
It is more blessed to give than to receive, but it takes more humility to receive than to give. How often people treat God's great gift of Jesus with my childish prejudicial pride, making the offensively polite responses, while despising the giver."
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