A Box of Kisses

A Box of Kisses

The story goes back some time ago. A man punished his 3-year-old daughter for wasting a roll of gold wrapping paper. Money was tight and he became infuriated when the child tried to decorate a box to put under the Christmas tree.

Nevertheless, the little girl brought the gift to her father the next morning and said, “This is for you. Daddy."

The man was embarrassed by his earlier over reaction, but his anger flared again when he found out the box was empty.

He yelled at her, stating, "Don't you know, when you give someone a present, there is supposed to be something inside?"

The little girl looked up at him with tears in her eyes and cried, "Oh, Daddy, it's not empty at all. I blew kisses into the box. They're all for you, Daddy."

The father was crushed. He put his arms around his little girl and he begged for her forgiveness.

Only a short time later, an accident took the life of the child. It is also told that her father kept that gold box by his bed for many years and whenever he was discouraged, he would take out an imaginary kiss and remember the love of the child who had put it there.

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I wonder how many others, ignorant of the meaning and value of the box to the man after his daughters passing, wrongfully thought it was nothing but empty as he had previously judged. I imagine that this is the mistake many make when they see dedicated Christians pursuing God. It must be life that looks empty to them. Empty of riotous and hedonistic pleasure, empty of pursuing leisure continuously, empty of tasting all the finest things in life, empty of all that they think makes one’s life full.

Only the one that possesses a life with God truly knows and can say that their life is far but empty. This is what evangelism should be, sharing with others the tremendous value of a gift so great, we would not exchange it for anything in the world. But this gift is not empty at all, it is filled with the presence of God’s Spirit and the assurance of the salvation in His Son. Though invisible to the world, our focus is constantly drawn to the wonderful blessings God is pouring out on our lives.

I love you

Jonathan