The Value of a Gift

     Have you ever been given a gift that may have seemed small or even worthless to some but it was truly priceless and was cherished by you?



     One of my friends gave me a gift this morning. It's the best gift I've gotten in a long time! It is a well-loved and well-worn copy of The Pilgrim's Progress by John Bunyan - complete with a bookmark that has Philippians 1:6 on one side and Micah 7:18-19 on the other side. To some, they might see it as a simple little book. Some might even look at it and wonder why someone gifted me with something that was so worn looking and old. Other people just don't understand the significance of this gift. Many people would not understand why this is such a big deal to me so I will explain.
     It is way beyond just a book to me. The significance of the type of book it is sends me the message that says, "The Holy Spirit in me sees the Holy Spirit in you." It is an encouraging gesture  that means someone cares about my Christian walk and wants to be a help to me along the way. That was one encouraging message that I have sorely needed in the past few days. The messages were emphasized by the bookmark that he used to mark the place where he had highlighted a passage that he knew would speak volumes to me. It is the part in which Gaius speaks out for women. This person knows that I have been struggling with gender discrimination as it applies to my faith. Also, because we are both English majors, the fact that he would entrust me with such a well-loved copy of a book that is near to his heart means alot to me too.
     He may never know how much this gift touched my heart. It is such a good example of how something so small can be so big in God's hands. This gift showed much thoughtfulness. It showed me that this person pays attention and deeply respects something about who I am. A worn book is so much better than any shiny store-bought trinket to me! Next time you give someone a gift, put more thought into it rather than more money. You never know how you might affect someone!