Dear Cornerstone Family:
All of us have (or will at some point) received a gift we don’t want. For some of us, these gifts come from a well-meaning grandmother: “Ah, another knit cardigan!” For others, it’s an obligatory Christmas gift from a boss: “Gee, a subscription to ‘Birds & Blooms’ magazine. How could I ever deserve this?”
When an unwanted gift comes our way, we all do the same thing. We promptly stuff it in a box in our closet to be regifted. “Surely someone, somewhere will like this!” Well, probably not. Truth is, the poor soul who receives your regift is going to do exactly what you did with it—pawn it off as a gift on some other unsuspecting victim.
In order to avoid this cycle, some of us cut through the guess work and just ask the person what they want. We say, “Hey, your birthday is coming up. Any hints?” They respond, “I want a new watch or a tie.” And we promptly go out and get it. It’s as easy as that.
As convenient as this arrangement is – and it is convenient – it diminishes the impact of the gift-giving experience. The expression of love that the gift symbolizes is unavoidably lessened when the thoughtfulness and surprise elements in the gift-giving experience are missing.
The gifts that have meant the most to me over the years are the ones I’ve never asked for and came as a total surprise. I have been gifted, for instance, quite a few original self-portraits over the years, thanks to the dear children of Cornerstone. These splendid crayoned creations have brought me tremendous joy (and more than a few laughs!). These uncommission masterpieces are unbidden surprises, heartfelt expressions of love for me from the hands of little artists.
As I’ve thought about this today, it seems to me that God’s gifts work similarly. How so, you ask? Well, last week our little Lila—now six months old—rolled over for the first time. I wish you could have heard the cheers of her parents and siblings. It was quite the event. As the Lord would have it, Christy and I celebrated 20 years of marriage last week as well. You read that right: 20 years! If you had told me in our first year of marriage that on our 20-year anniversary we’d be hootin’ and hollerin’ over our sixth month old rolling over, I would have done the math and surmised that something had gone terribly wrong. But that, of course, is not the case, for our little Lila is one of the most precious gifts we’ve ever received. No, we didn’t ask for her, and, yes, she came as a total surprise, but with every passing day we realize more how this unbidden gift from God is a living expression of His tremendous love for us.
When you are surprised by life’s unwanted gifts (we usually call them “trials”), consider the Giver. Consider His love for you. Consider His purposes. He knows the gifts you need. And even if what He gives you doesn’t feel like a gift, go ahead receive it as one. For in due time, you’ll discover—that’s exactly what it is. “And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good” (Romans 8:28).
Your servant,
