In 2002, my mother died in March and later that year, her  mother, who is my grandmother, died in November.  It was a  very difficult year for our father and the entire family.

           When the holidays came, it was hard to consider how to celebrate them.  Although it was painful, we had Thanksgiving dinner.  Then the next day, Christmas was facing us.

          At first, we thought that we couldn’t even think of celebrating Christmas without them.  But we thought about how both of them left us a great legacy and so many traditions.  This inspired us to press on.

          Yet, deeper still was our love for God.  He had done so much to sustain us during these difficult times.  He moves us to go on.  I said that we must celebrate because there is hope in Christ.  It’s His birthday, so I will celebrate Christmas.

          Oh, how we decorated, shopped and did all that we could to move forward with our Christmas plans.  In our ministry, “Write the Vision Ministries,” we made twice as many Christmas friendship bags to give to the downcast, lonely and those that provide various services.

          We gave nearly all of our friendship bags to those on our list.  There were only twelve left for the owners and waiters at a new Chinese restaurant that we liked.  Well, since Simmie, my husband, and I usually take Regina, my sister, out for lunch or dinner during the Christmas season, we decided to bring her to that restaurant and then pass out the packages.

          So, one early evening, we picked up Regina and went to the restaurant.  I had a large colorful shopping bag filled with the packages and cards too.  When Simmie opened the restaurant’s door, we shouted, “MERRY CHRISTMAS!”  The owner, hostess and cashier warmly returned our greetings.  We hugged and kissed as we entered in.

          I began passing out the packages to the owners and various waiters that greeted us.  The empty dining room look Christmasy and cozy.  Regina was greatly impressed.  “It’s pretty in here,” she said.  I continued passing out packages.

          It was delightful to see the waiters’ smiling faces as they thanked us for their package and card.  Two of our favorite waiters weren’t on the floor.  I asked, “Where is Lillie and Susan?”  Before I knew it, Susan came out from the kitchen.  We all hugged her. 

          In the distance appeared the waiter that I called, “The Worst Waiter in the World.”  He stepped closer out of the darkness.  “Where’s Lillie?” I asked Susan.  I stared at the other  waiter as he walked out into the dining room to see what was going on.

          “She’s not here,” replied Susan.

          “She’s on vacation?” I asked as Simmie helped me take off my coat so I could sit down with Regina and him.

          “No.  She doesn’t work here anymore,” replied another waiter.

          “Oh  . . . ,” I said as I looked away from the waiter I despised.

I dropped Lillie’s friendship package and card back into my Christmas shopping bag and sat down.  I placed the bag in a chair next to me.

          While the waiters were cheerfully opening up their Christmas card and peaking inside of their packages, we sat waiting to be served.  I quickly glanced over at the waiter that I didn’t like.  He sadly looked at me, then at the excited waiters around the room.  Then he slowly walked away. 

          A waiter came and gave us a menu and again hugged us.  The owner called,   “JOHNNIE!  You can serve that table.”  I was horrified!  I didn’t want him messing up around Regina.  He’s the worst waiter here.

          I whispered to Regina and Simmie, “He’s so careless.  He spills and drops everything.  He’s not careful.  He’s messy!”

          “He is?” asked Regina.

          “He does make several mistakes,” answered Simmie looking at his menu.

          Johnnie came to our table with a pitcher of water.  He spilled some on the tablecloth as he poured it in Regina’s glass.  Then he splashed some on my lap and a few drops fell on Simmie’s shirt sleeves.  While we wiped off the water spills, Johnnie said, “May I please take your order?”  Oh, it was nothing but spills, spatters and mistakes from then on!

          We managed to make it to the end of our meal.  “Too bad he’s having a rough day,” Regina said sipping her coffee.

          “Yeah, he is,” said Simmie looking at our bill.

          I was just about to say something when Johnnie appeared.  

“Desserts?” he said.

          He took our bill from Simmie to write our orders.  I rolled my eyes.  As he walked away to get them, God said for me to give him that package.  I said no way!  He doesn’t deserve it I thought.

“Give it to him,” I could hear God say to me.

          As Johnnie placed our dishes of ice cream down, I sort of frowned at him.  “Where are our spoons?” I said.  He gave us the spoons and sat down near the back.

          “Give him that package and card,” God said to me.  I tried to ignore Him as I ate my ice cream.

          I looked at Johnnie sitting there with his back turned from us.  “Look.  He’s a mess!  Look at him.  I’m not going to give him a tip.  I’m ashamed of his service in front of Regina.  She’s an honor graduate in culinary arts, food service and public hospitality.  What is she thinking?   Johnnie just  made too many mistakes”

          Then God said, “Give him the package since you are not giving him a tip.”  I thought about it.  When Johnnie got up to remove our dishes, I reached into the shopping bag and handed him the package.   He took it, but he did not smile or say thanks!  He walked away with our dishes.  Then he came back and sat in his seat.  He looked at the package, but did not open it.

          “Give him that card too,” God said to me. 

          “He did not open the package.  Why should I give him the card?  Besides, Lillie’s name is on it,” I argued.

          Regina wanted me to direct her to the restroom.  I got up, reached in the bag for the card and to my surprise, there was no name on it.  While walking Regina in the direction of the restroom, I gave Johnnie the card.  Simmie said, “I’m going to warm up our car.”  So he left.

          I sat there alone looking at Johnnie.  He slowly opened the white envelope and pulled out the card.  I could see it was the one with the nativity picture.  He stared at it for about five minutes.  He opened the card, then closed it.  He stared back at the cover of the card.  I could not believe it, but  he put his head down and cried.  I could hear him groaning.  He lifted his head and wiped his eyes with his hands.  Next, he did the strangest thing.   He kissed the nativity picture!  Again, he kissed it long and hard.

          He got up, walked over to me and said, “A gift! He is my gift. “ He pointed to the small picture of the baby Jesus. “He is a gift.”

          As his tears rolled down his face, I got up and hugged him as tight as I could.  My voice cracked as I cried, “Yes!  Oh  . . . yes!” 

          “He loves me?” asked Johnnie.

          “Oh yes!  Yes! ,” I cried.

          Johnnie stepped back and looked at me with the biggest smile.  He took my hands and bowed.  He softly said, “Thank you.  Thank you.”   Then he walked back to his seat.  He placed the card in his shirt pocket.  He turned around and said, “Thank you for these presents in package too.  I will share with my family.”  I grabbed some napkins and cried.

          “What is wrong?” asked Regina as she gently patted me on my back.  I could not talk.  Then God spoke to me.

          “I sent my Son for all mankind.  All of you have made mistakes and done wrong things.  You were all in a mess of sin.  Each one of you must have a changed life.  I did not turn from you.  I gave you My Son Jesus.  He is your gift.  He is the gift to the world.”

          Well, it was early spring of 2003 when we returned back to the restaurant.  I couldn’t wait to see Johnnie.  I came in asking about him to the servers.  They only smiled.  Then I saw Susan.  She said, “Johnnie’s gone.  He no work here no more.  He say he go back to Hong Kong tell everybody there and everybody around the world about ‘the gift.’  He say the gift for everybody.

I have gift too.  It in my heart now.”

          So, this Christmas, what will you do about this precious gift?  Do you know Jesus?  He is our gift.  Is Jesus Christ in your heart?

If He is, will you share THE GIFT?

              “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”  John 3:16(KJV)