The Gift of Self

Story:

Once there was a wise king who cared for his people so much that he wanted to know how they lived. He dressed himself in rags and, night after night, sat with a poor man who lived alone under a bridge. There they’d share dinner that they scavenged from a garbage dump nearby. Soon, the poor man looked forward to the evenings because of the stranger’s company.

One night, the king decided to finally reveal his true identity. In full regalia, he went with the royal entourage to visit the poor man. ”What do you want to ask of me?” inquired the benevolent ruler. He expected the man to ask for wealth or a decent home or a place of privilege in the king’s court. Instead, the poor man replied, “You’ve showered others with your wealth, but to me, you’ve given yourself!”

Reflection:

This is the story of our lives. Jesus is Emmanuel, meaning “God is with us.” Rulers of this world can give us wealth but only He gave us His very self. He left His throne in heaven and took on flesh to be one of us. There’s no greater gift than that.

Lord, thank You for the greatest gift I could ever receive — Yourself!

How can we give the gift of ourselves to others this Christmas?