Reading your Bible for Today December 19

December 19: Proverbs 17:8

KJV Key Verse: Proverbs 17:8
8 A gift is as a preciousstone in the eyes of him that hath it: whithersoever it turneth, it prospereth.

Devotion:
In the run up to Christmas, we are all getting to the stage where we are hoping for that gift we have thought of for a long time. Maybe we have been asking for it for years and still wait in hope. Maybe we want one of the latest gadgets which has come out this year... But we are sure when we receive that gift we are going to be happy and maybe we will even be able to make others happy by showing it to them! How self-centred we get when we have hope of something special!

And then when we do get a special gift, we want everyone to know about it; we want to be able to show everyone to prove we have that special gift! It is as though we have received a large diamond which is going to shine wherever we take it. We expect our special gift to be able to persuade others to do things for us because they have hopes that just maybe they will get a share of our gift. Those who hope most for a share of our happiness in that gift will seek us most!

Or we could look at the other side of the coin and see we may well do anything in order to get that special gift... When we have money or pleasure in our eyes, we are bound to go further than normal to be able to get closer to receiving that money or pleasure. Wherever money or pleasure goes, we think it seems to bring more money and pleasure to those who are closest to it or at least that is the way we see it.

But the real joy we should be seeking is not the joy from monetary or social gifts, but the unspeakable joy which comes from the most special spiritual gift in the world – the gift of forgiveness and eternal life only our Saviour Jesus Christ can share with us. That gift does prosper wherever it goes. That gift does draw people in. But more than money, that gift is actually worth while getting!

Points to Ponder:
What gift are you getting for your best friend?

Have they received the gift of eternal life yet?