Our prosperous times create problems...
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Our prosperous times create problems at gift-giving times such as birthdays and holidays. What do we give somebody who already has everything they need and want? It is difficult to find a gift that brings true excitement to the receiver. Many of the gifts we give and receive are simply not needed. Another tie or houseplant is nice, but nothing to jump up and down about. Mary was in another situation. There were probably a number of gifts she could put to good use. Perhaps she spent time each day dreaming of fairy godmothers or praying that God would grant her a special gift. I would doubt that the gift of a child before marriage was what she really wanted or expected. When God made the offer she might have thought, "God, if you are going to send a gift, how about a couple bushels of grain?" The gift was a child. It says something of the character of Mary that in a difficult situation she was able to sing praise to God and enthusiastically receive a gift that she did not need, but which promised joy and hope to the lowly of her time and ours.
-- Olson
-- Olson
