REFLECTIONS
May 13, 2007
 
 
Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends.
John 15:13
 
 
Gift of Self
 
There was such power in the gift though there was nothing unusual about it. We worshiped our Lord with everyone else in the congregation, yet the warmth of love was radiating from the moment. What made the moment so very special was the gift that was given. Later in the day there would be other gifts, but this one was the best.
The gift was a simple one. It was Mothers’ Day and my sons had come to join their mother in worship. The cards and flowers that came later could not match this gift. It was the gift of self.
As I reflected on the occasion and I thought about the mother of my children and of my own mother, the chord that struck me was how they gave of themselves every day. Mothers live a lifetime giving themselves to their children. Just think of the meals prepared, the fevers fought, the ballgames watched, the tears wiped, the hugs given, and the prayers prayed. These are the gift of self. That is what mothers do.
The gift of self is what Jesus was talking about in the Scripture, though we often associate the sacrifice He made as the example. While it is certainly an act of love to die for another person, we need not go to that extreme to give our love to another. Rather, the gift of self may be no more than being there to share a moment.
We all have the opportunity and the occasion does not need to be a special day as this one was. It might be the celebration of victory, or the anticipation of a dreaded surgery; it could be a baptism, or a strong test from Satan. No matter the circumstance, when we take the time to share a moment of life with a friend—well it is a gift of love.
And as it was on this occasion, it will be the best gift of the day.
 
“You are the light of the world,”
Richard Ì
 


Click here for Printer Friendly Version