The Story Teller

A fine, intelligent young man was excited about his upcoming college graduation.  More than the occasion, the young man was losing sleep over the beautiful sports car he saw in a dealer’s showroom several months back. Certain that his father could well afford it, he told him that that’s what he wanted for a graduation gift.

So, on the day of his graduation, the  man shivered with anticipation as his father called him to his office and asked him to sit down. His father extended his congratulations and told him how proud he was to have such a fine, intelligent man for a son. He told him how much he loved him and handed him a beautifully wrapped gift box.

Disappointed but somehow curious, the man opened the box and found inside it a lovely leather-bound BIBLE. Deeply hurt and outraged, the man yelled at his father ‘With all the money you got, you give me a Bible?’ and stormed out of the room and never came back.

Several years passed and the young man became a successful businessman. He had a fine home and a wonderful family. Despite such, however, he missed his father, whom he did not see since his graduation from college, and wanted to visit him. But before he could make some arrangements, he received a message that his father died, left all of his wealth to him, and that he needed to come home immediately.

The man’s heart swelled with sadness when he arrived home. As he was sorting his father’s papers, he found the still new bible just as he had left it years ago. As he sadly leafed through the pages, a car key fell from an envelope taped behind the bible. With it was a tag with a car dealer, the date of his graduation and the words.. PAID IN FULL.

‘How many times did we miss God’s blessings because they were not packaged as we expected?’

*Adapted from indianchild.com

Image source: scrabblesense.com

2 Responses to “The Graduation Gift*”