When we were living on the east side of Gainesville (the area people called Starvation Hill) as young children, times were sometimes hard around the Christmas holidays. We didn’t know it at the time but we were considered poor by the living standards of many people we knew. As the oldest of six children, all of whom were only a year apart down the ladder, I had more of an understanding of the plight we were in at times as to our finances. I had overheard my mother and father’s conversations late into the night when they thought we were all asleep, so, I knew they faced financial difficulties, particularly at Christmas. Yet they never mentioned it to us or others openly. I also heard them pray for God to intervene and allow them to have enough so that all 6 of their children could have a good Christmas present! God answered each and every time!

 

I don’t ever remember having a bad Christmas! We may have been poor, but we didn’t even know it! Why? Because our father and mother loved God, loved one another, and loved all 6 of us! Over the years there is no telling how many great sacrifices they made for us each year so that we had a gift of some sort to open at Christmas. We were very rich in knowing we were loved and wanted! My mom and dad are two of the most loving, caring, giving people I have ever known!

 

On one of those Christmases, dad had saved his money up to buy our mother beautiful, wool winter coat, something that she wanted but didn’t own. He bought it at Wilson’s Department Store in downtown Gainesville, an upscale store that was not our usual shopping place. All the kids knew about it and kept the secret from our mother until Christmas morning when the presents were passed out.

 

Everyone watched with anticipation as mom unwrapped her present. When she did, she pulled out a small rectangular box which seemed odd for a coat to be folded into. Dad scratched his head and looked puzzled, expecting the beautiful coat. Mom then handed dad the rectangular box and said, Merry Christmas, this is for you! We all gathered around, puzzled by the change in plans! Dad was just as puzzled as he opened the hidden gift. It was a pearl handled, double-action, High Standard, .22 caliber pistol! Dad was shocked and elated at the same time! It seems that mom opened her present early, took it back to Wilsons, got a refund, and then bought dad a pistol with the money! She carefully wrapped it back up exactly as it had been wrapped before. There was not enough money for both to have a present, so my dear mother pulled a “switch-er-roo” on dad without him even suspecting it! That’s the kind of mom and dad that every boy or girl would be proud to have as parents!

 

God is so much like that with the human race, He has put hidden riches right here on earth for us to find, “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto treasure hid in a field; the which when a man hath found, he hideth, and for joy thereof goeth and selleth all that he hath, and buyeth that field.” Matt. 13:44.

 

The neat thing is that when we discover the hidden treasure that is right under our nose we really start experiencing life to its fullest! One part of that hidden treasure is discovering the blessing of giving rather than receiving, “I have shewed you all things, how that so labouring ye ought to support the weak, and to remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he said, It is more blessed to give than to receive.” (Acts 2-:35) (NLT)