9th Day of Christmas

In my favorite Christmas book, The Mansion by Henry van Dyke, a wealthy man who has given to many charities and done much good on earth has a vision where he sees that he gets a small hut for his mansion in Heaven. He wonders why his good deeds that earned him such a well-known name on earth did not give him a larger mansion. He asks his heavenly guide if what he did on earth did not count for something. The guide responds:

"Yes, it counts in the world-where you counted it. But it does not belong to you here."

He asks what does count in Heaven, and the guide says:

"Only that which is truly given. Only that good which is done for the love of doing it. Only those plans in which the welfare of others is the master thought. Only those labors in which the sacrifice is greater than the reward. Only those gifts in which the giver forgets himself."

This man had done much good, but only when it would bring him back interest, or more good, or recognition, power, etc. Sometimes I have those same ill intentions - reward, recognition, resume-booster in addition to pleasing God. But I think God will be more pleased if I serve and love and give and forgive and share and lift without considering either a reward here on earth or in Heaven.

This Christmas season, let's give gifts that truly count.