Little is Much

A simple, empty, plastic jewelry box held a priceless gift.

Engaged in the daily-ness of life, I was unaware of how colorless my day had become. Neither dark nor bright, it lodged somewhere in the dull, gray zone. Daily-ness, with its tyranny of the mindlessly mundane, can easily shift our focus from joyful service to mind-numbing repetition if we aren’t careful. Without realizing it, I had submitted to that joy-stifling kind of day — until God decided to drop a shimmering sunbeam right into my hands.

My daughter, Sarah, four or five years old at the time, had been outside playing with a cheap jewelry box that her aunt had given to her. Made of dark green plastic and molded to look like a small treasure chest, its crevices had been darkened with black stain, and its swirls and curlicues had been highlighted with gold paint. Its interior was lined with a soft, black, velvety fabric.

Keeping a close eye on my daughter through the window, I paused from my tasks to watch, amused and puzzled, as Sarah raised her open box to the sky, quickly closed its hinged lid, then turned and ran toward the house — a tot with a mission! The welcome sound little skipping feet had heralded the approach of my sweet Sarah, who now stood before me — face glowing, smile beaming, eyes twinkling, hair smelling of springtime. My day was already brighter.

“Mommy! I brought you a present!”

Can a gift give gifts? I pondered, as I gazed upon my beloved child’s contagious joy.

YES, my beloved child, my Heavenly Father whispered to me.

Sitting down, I gratefully accepted the treasure box from my daughter’s outstretched hands, opened the lid, and gazed at its dark, empty interior. Sensing that the value of my gift far exceeded the ability of my mind to comprehend, I shifted my attention to Sarah.

“Tell me about my present,” I prompted, my voice filled with appropriate, hushed awe.

Dancing on twinkle toes and clapping her little hands in glee, Sarah exclaimed, “It’s sunshine! I brought you sunshine in the box!”

Her bubbling joy and sweet innocence chased the last wisp of gray from my day.

Yes, beautiful child, you did bring me sunshine. You certainly did!

May we always remember that a priceless gift can come packaged in something as simple as a cheap, plastic box—or in something as humble as a lowly manger.

Jas 1:17 KJV – Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.