Gold Gift Wrap on an Empty Box

Elisha’s servant did all his master requested. Yet he was merely gold gift wrap on an empty box. This Christmas, go for the gold not readily seen.

How would you feel if…

1. Your daughter found your hoarded roll of gold foil gift wrap you scored at last year’s after Christmas sales?
2. Then she used the entire roll to wrap one present.  Yes, entire roll!
3. This gift she lovingly wrapped and presented to her father with a huge smile, turned out to be an empty box?  All that lovely gift wrap – wasted!!

Yes, you may think it was a waste. (A plain box, for real?)

You might blow up and blast your daughter with words meant to teach, but which actually wound a tender heart.

You might punish her so she learns not to waste precious things. (Gold foil!)

And after –

after the whole story is over-

your daughter looks at you through streaming tears and trembling lips,

and says, “It’s not empty.  I blew it full of kisses before I wrapped it.”

It Wasn’t an Empty Box

and her heart was not void.

She was aware.  She took in the life lessons you taught her, and absorbed the good you tried to impart. This little girl knew that her love kisses had great value to her Father.

God Knows an Empty Box

Unlike us, God knows hearts, and He knows when they aren’t an “empty box.”

And He knows when they are.

Lately, Elisha’s servant, Gehazi, has rimmed the edges of my thoughts.

Did Elisha, a “form” of God, know how void his servant’s heart was?  And if he did, which I think a discerning, spiritual man such as he would, did it grieve him that Gehazi’s heart remained barren?

How could Gehazi serve this Prophet of God all those years and not fully absorb the Life lessons Elisha taught?

Even the Shunamite woman seemed to know Gehazi’s heart was empty.  When she rushed to Elisha to beg him to save her son, she didn’t waste time talking to Gehazi, whom Elisha had sent ahead to meet her.  She likely threw him a “Shalom” or something and raced on her way to the real help. Going for the gold.

Elisha’s wooden staff had more power than Gehazi.  The rod was an extension of God’s power through Elisha.  Yet when Gehazi laid it on the boy, even while sent by Elisha, it had no effect.  When Elisha arrived with his full-heart to attend the boy, the child revived.

“God, I don’t want to be an empty box.”

Is my prayer this Christmas season.

I want to wrap my heart with the best gold gift wrap,

then present it to the Filler of Hearts,

and ask Him to keep it filled with His power to His honor in the coming year.

Full of True servant love. 

A servant heart filled with gold not readily seen.