By Jim Nichols

The punchline question for this article is “What can you and I give?” The response is “Every gift is acceptable to God.”

You and I tend to rate gifts as to their relative value. Of course, this is based on our own eyes and judgments that are clearly related to our own experiences. In fact, it is reasonable that you and I might judge the same gift as having a different value. I confess that I have assessed offerings of others with a question in my mind as to motives. That is a flaw in my thinking and inappropriate.

Recently I engaged in two back-to-back events that illustrated the giving of clearly diverse types of gifts. Both types were valuable and came from compassionate and liberal followers of God. They had resources they were willing to share, and others were blessed by their gifts.

The first situation was a medical one. Here a small group of individuals gathered and sang “church songs” to patients in a hospice program. This is an ad hoc group of singers with a core of “regulars” but other people who come as they are available. Sometimes they are better musically than in other weeks, but the positive effect on the singers, patients, family, staff, and friends in the facility is consistent. Occurring in the late afternoon, singers come directly from school, work, recreation, or home. There is no special clothing. This is a true “come as you are” event. They have a musical gift to give, and they have come to the place to make the donation. This donation is given immediately; there is a positive realization of the gift within minutes, although memories of it often linger.

As you might suppose, this can be a difficult and troubling time for everyone involved. The patients are in their last hours or days of human life; it is no secret to anyone. Not all patients are awake or alert and not all family members desire this special musical gift. Many, however, welcome the time and are deeply moved by a supply of songs that sit deeply in their hearts and memories. “The Old Rugged Cross,” “Amazing Grace,” and “I’ll Fly Away” take them to a place and time that is sacred to them. On occasion, a patient will pass away during a song.

The second situation occurred immediately following the first on this day. Also occurring in a special facility, this was far from a medical one. Highly decorated with lights, colors, and background music, this was a banquet. The attendees were dressed well, and the decorum of the group was proper and polite. Dark suits and colorful dresses were predominant. Many seemed to know one another, and they were recognized as highly visible in the civic and philanthropic communities. There were a few outliers there, including me.

This second group was not gathered with songbooks, but with hors d’oeuvres preceding a meal and program. This was not a songfest, but a celebration associated with fundraising. The dollar results were in, and they were impressive; many others would be the benefactors of these gifts, some of them significant.

Given these two gatherings and groups, was the gift of one preferable or better than the other?

In the Bible (Luke 21:1-4) one of the best-known stories is that of the “widow’s mite.” In this story, Jesus commends a poor widow who was able to contribute only “two small coins” to the temple treasury. Jesus notes with affirmation that she gave what she could, from what little abundance she had.

 The hospice singers gave a gift from their abundance. They had some musical gifts that they could blend with others and bring remembrance and blessings to hearers. The recipients were reminded of God’s goodness not only in the past, but also in the present with a promise of the future. 

The banquet participants would not see the immediate result of their gifts but were confident that significant needs would be addressed by their money.

Clearly, gifts come in diverse types and amounts. “What can you and I give?” “Every gift is acceptable to God.”

Jim Nichols is a retired Abilene Christian University biology professor and current hospital chaplain