“Gold Wrapping Paper” is a story about a mother who punishes her five-year-old daughter for wasting a roll of expensive gold wrapping paper. Money was tight and she was very upset when the child uses the gold paper to decorate a box to put under the Christmas tree. Nevertheless, the little girl brings the gift box to her mother on Christmas morning and says, “This is for you, Momma.” The mother is embarrassed by her earlier overreaction, but her anger flares again when she opens the box and finds it empty. She speaks harshly to her daughter, “Don’t you know, young lady, when you give someone a present there’s supposed to be something inside the package?” The little girl has tears in her eyes and says, “Oh, Momma, it’s not empty! I blew kisses into it until it was full.” The mother is crushed. She falls on her knees, sobs and puts her arms around her little girl, and she begs forgiveness for her thoughtless anger. An accident takes the life of the child only a short time later, and the mother keeps that gold box by her bed for all the years of her life. Whenever she is discouraged, or faces difficult problems, she opens the box and takes out an imaginary kiss and remembers the love of the child who had put it there.
In a very real sense each of us, as human beings, have been given a golden box filled with unconditional love and kisses from our children, family, friends and, most important, from God. Love - there is no more precious a possession that anyone could receive.
The Christmas story is the story of God’s unconditional love poured onto and into this world. “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, Jesus.” This is the story of God’s love for a fallen planet.
God so loved that He gave. And that is what we all need to know. His Word is our golden box full of the precious promises of His enduring love and compassionate care. Taste and see that the Lord is good by opening His gift box not just during this Christmas season but also throughout the year ahead.