Our Daily Bread Christmas EditionMuestra

Christmas Sacrifice

O.Henry’s classic tale “The Gift of the Magi” tells of Jim and Della, a young married couple who are struggling financially. As Christmas approaches they want to give special gifts to each other, but their lack of money drives them to drastic measures. Jim’s prized possession is a gold watch, while Della’s is her long, beautiful hair. Ironically, Jim sells his watch in order to buy combs for Della’s hair, while Della sells her hair to buy a chain for Jim’s watch.

The story has deservedly become beloved, for it reminds us that sacrifice is at the heart of true love, and sacrifice is love’s truest measure. This idea is particularly appropriate for Christmas, because sacrifice is the true heartbeat of the story of the birth of Christ. Of all the people who have ever walked this planet, Jesus Christ was born to die, and He was born to die for us. That is why the angel told Joseph, “She will have a son, and you are to name him Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins” (Matthew 1:21).

Long before His birth, Christ had been set aside to rescue us from our fallenness—which means that we can never fully appreciate the manger unless we see it in the shadow of the cross. Christmas is completely about Christ’s love, seen most clearly in His sacrifice for us. —BILL CROWDER

The story of Christmas is sacrifice.