“ Its the thought that counts.” Is the old saying true, or is It the measure of sacrifice that really counts? At this Christmas season we will send relatively inexpensive cards to friends, but generally sacrifice to buy our loved ones something special. For many, a “35-cent thought” will easily discharge an obliga tion. A significant gift, however, will demand much more. In the first verses of Luke, chapter twenty-one, we read of rich men who cast their gifts in the Temple treasury. These gifts did not impress Jesus as much as the two mites (the smallest coins in circulation) the widow gave. Why? Because the two mites represented a sacrifice, not a gift of convenience. Sacrifice is sometimes represented in strange ways. Encouraging a little child to spend time from play making a paperweight of nondescript design may be a better example of love than giving the child money for the specific purpose of buying a gift. The money is not his to keep, so the only sacrifice is the time spent in selecting the gift. The true significance of Christmas is found in sacrifice — not in mere thought. The wise men gave, not merely their gifts, but their time. Page 4
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