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From the Pastor
Enjoy this!. It’s by O. Henry, early 20th Century short story author and master of the surprise ending. It’s shortened somewhat for this column.
One dollar and eighty-seven cents. That was all. Pennies saved one and two at a time. Della counted three it times. $1.87. She cried.
The next day would be Christmas and she had only one dollar and eighty-seven cents to buy Jim a present. Her Jim. She had spent many happy hours planning something nice for him. Something fine—something worthy of the honor of being owned by her Jim.
There was a long, thin mirror between the windows of the room. Maybe you have seen such a mirror in a very old apartment. A very thin and very agile person can manage a fairly accurate look at herself in a mirror like that. Della, being slender, could do it.
Suddenly she whirled away form the mirror. Her eyes shone, but she was scared. Quickly, she pulled down her hair and let it fall to its full length.
Jim and Della were extremely proud of two of their possessions.
One was Jim’s fine, old gold pocket watch that had been his father’s and grandfather’s. They just didn’t make watches like that anymore.
The other possession was Della’s hair. Long, thick, dark, its beauty crowned her beauty.
Now Della’s hair rippled and shined like a cascade of brown water. It reached her waist. And then she nervously did it up again. She faltered a second, and a few tears splashed on the worn old carpet.
Then, on went her old jacket, on went her old hat, on went her old gloves. She ran out the door and down the street. Where she stopped running the sign said, “Madame Sophie. Hair Goods of All Kinds.”
Della ran in. Sophie, very large and very pale hardly looked the ‘madame’.
“Will you buy my hair?”, asked Della.
“Take yer hat off.”, said madame.
Down rippled the brown cascade.
“Twenty dollars.”, said Madame.
“Give it to me quick!”, said Della.
The next two hours flew by as Della ransacked the stores for Jim’s present. She found it at last. It must have been made for him and no on else. It was a beautiful gold watch chain, simple yet elegant. It was even worthy of Jim’s watch. And it was like Jim—full of quietness and value.
When Della got home she got out her curling iron and went to work repairing the ravages caused by mixing generosity with love. And that is always a big job, my friends, a big job.
At 6 o’clock dinner was ready. Jim was never late. Della held the watch chain in her hand and sat on the chair by the door he always entered. She heard his step in the hall and said a little prayer:
“Please God, make him think I’m still pretty.”
Jim stepped in. He saw Della and just stood there and stared with an expression she could not read. It was not surprise, not anger, not disapproval. He just stared.
Della jumped off the chair. “Jim! Don’t look at me that way! I cut it off and sold it so that I could buy you a Christmas present. I just had to do it!”
“You cut off your hair?” asked Jim.
“It’ll grow back. My hair grows fast!”
“You say you hair is gone?” he said, like he was an idiot.
“It’s gone! Sold, so I could buy you a present! I love you Jim!
Jim suddenly woke out of his trance. He held his Della. Then he pulled a package out his overcoat pocket.
“Don’t worry Dell. There’s no haircut that make me love you less. But if you open that you’ll see why you had me going.”
She tore open the package. A scream of joy; and then a quick, feminine change to sobs. For there lay The Combs—the beautiful set of combs, side and back that Della had worshipped for so long in the jewelry store window—the perfect combs to wear in her beautiful, vanished hair.
She clutched them, and then clutched her Jim, and said, “My hair grows so fast Jim.”
Then she jumped and said, “I can’t wait for you to see what I got for you Jim!” She held it out to him.
“Isn’t it just perfect Jim? I hunted all over for it. Give me your watch. I want to see how it looks on it.”
Jim just tumbled down on the couch and smiled.
“Dell, let’s just put our present away for awhile. I sold my watch to get the money for the combs. So, how about dinner?”
This is the story of two nobodies who had nothing, people who unwisely gave the best they had to give each other. But let it be said that of all who give gifts, these two are the wisest.
Now, here is the exact same story, told another way.
The birth of Jesus took place like this. His mother Mary, was engaged to
Joseph. Before they came to the marriage bed, Joseph discovered she was pregnant. Joseph, chagrined but noble, determined to take care of things quietly so Mary would not be disgraced.
While he was trying to figure a way out, God’s angel spoke to him in a dream: “Joseph, don’t hesitate to get married. Mary’s pregnancy is Spirit-conceived. She will bring a son to birth and when she does, you Joseph, will name him Jesus, which means ‘God saves’.
Then Joseph woke up. He did exactly what God had commanded in the dream.” (Matthew 1:18-25)
Christmas means that strength, hope and light are always possible. Anyone can give them. Anyone can receive them. Anyone.
Joseph was a nobody. All he did was give Mary what he had to give. He just did what he could. What Joseph gave Mary didn’t seem like much at the time. And yet what he did gave Mary dignity and gave her safety. That let her give birth to Jesus. And resulting even to this day, 2,000 years later, blessing enters countless lives.
Joseph could give little, and Mary less. And yet, she did what little she could…have a baby in a hard situation. Now, a lot of mothers have babies in tough situations. And yet, that filled her life, filled Joseph’s life and fills our lives too.
All Della did was give what she had. She didn’t have much…just her hair. And likewise, all Jim did was give what little he had, his old watch. And yet, could either of them have given anything more? Anything better? What else could have blessed each other so much?
What about you? If blessing comes through God given chances to give what little you are able, then keep on giving it. I don’t mean presents under the tree now. They are great fun and they are wonderful. They can be powerful symbols. But now I mean, remember the times you gave kindness. Remember when you gave hope. Remember the times you blessed people. You have given and are giving what you have to offer when times to do that found you. That is, you too have given and still help sacred hope and courage enter the world. Remembering what you already have given and are now giving assists, guides and encourages you.
Christ is the promise and gift that God gives everyone of us times to give what we can, times like He gave to Joseph and Mary, to Della and Jim. Chances to do give what we can. No matter who we are, or how small our gifts might seem, peace and courage grow from what we do.
Amen.
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