Sabbathought: Hearts full---or hands too full?

In the United Kingdom and several of its Commonwealth countries like Australia and New Zealand, the day after Christmas is Boxing Day. Nothing to do with the fighting sport, it refers to the 19th-century tradition of boxes containing gifts from employers to workers, or the gifts for the poor from the alms boxes in churches.

Happy Boxing Day!

We have noted before, with Ralph Waldo Emerson, that: "Rings and jewels are not gifts but apologies for gifts; the only true gift is a portion of thyself."

We suppose that the great example in this is the Christ, who gave Himself, a ransom that we might repent and live.

If we stop and think about it, we first must receive something before we can give anything. That is why these carol words are meaningful, "Where meek souls will receive Him, still / The dear Christ enters in." Then, having received the Christ and His gift, we are changed persons, never the same, starting to be transformed into His image. And the "portion of thyself" that we then give contains a little bit of the Christ.

It is a clear lesson, but somewhat abstract to most of us, for we think most often of gifts as tangible, physical, temporal. But there are spiritual gifts. And they count so much more. Their benefit can be ongoing and very real.

But all such gifts of the Spirit come only from above, and are for the benefit of blessing others. They cannot be placed under a tree and they cannot be retained. They must be passed on, given away, used to bless, lift, teach and edify.

But if our hands and hearts and minds are already full---of lesser things---we forfeit the receipt of the spiritual gifts which could so bless those who need our spiritual ministration. In these things we are sometimes poor indeed.

To summarize: C.S. Lewis observed, "God gives His gifts where He finds the vessel empty enough to receive them. A man whose hands are full of parcels can't receive a gift."

What a profound Christmas and Christian principle! . . . Think of it in the context of this further insight from Lewis: "If and when a horror turns up you will then be given Grace to help you. I don't think one is usually given it in advance. 'Give us our daily bread' (not an annuity for life) is applicable to spiritual gifts too; the little daily support for the daily trial. Life has to be taken day by day and hour by hour."

We must be ready to receive it at the time of the giving, or it may pass us by. This is a hallmark of the spiritual life: to live with our cupped hands and hearts facing up toward heaven.

Happy Boxing (Receiving) Day . . . !

Steve