An Extravagant Gift 

Read on December 23

Story provided by Sonya

As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God’s varied grace.” —1 Peter 4:10

One night, while Sonya’s mom was at a church meeting, the phone rang. 

Sonya picked it up. A saleslady from the local pricey boutique story said, “The initials for your Mouton coats have arrived.” 

Sonya knew in an instant that the woman had just “spilled the beans.”

That Christmas, Sonya and her sister had one wish: Mouton coats were all the rage that year, and only the most fashionable people had one. But they were expensive and considered an extravagance. 

Sonya told her dad about the call, but her dad told her to act like he was the one the saleslady had spoken to. 

But, Sonya’s dad wasn’t a very good actor. Her mom kept questioning him until he finally had to tell her the truth.

The surprise had been blown, but Sonya and her sister were still thrilled to receive their coats—the coats they had wished for but had never expected to receive.

Most of us can name the gift we really wanted but knew we would never receive. Sonya can name that gift and the joy she felt when it was provided. How blessed she and her sister felt to receive those coats, knowing all that it took for her mom to provide them!

Christmas is an important part of God’s story, but Easter is as well. Just like Sonya’s mom sacrificed to provide her children with a valuable gift, God sacrificed to provide for us: “For God so loved the world” (John 3:16). God so loved the world he gave us his son. Then God watched his son give us his life so that we could have our salvation. 

Jesus is the most valuable gift that anyone can receive. Who will be grateful to you because they understood what you sacrificed in order to give?