Dr. Roy Angel was a popular and great Baptist preacher during the last century. He shared the following story in one of his books. It touches the heart and clearly illustrates the words of Jesus who said, “It is more blessed to give than to receive.”

A wealthy businessman in San Antonio came by to see Dr. Angel a few weeks after Christmas. He said, “Preacher, I want to tell you that this Christmas was the most wonderful Christmas of my life. My brother gave me a new Packard automobile for Christmas.

“I left the office a little early the week before Christmas and walked over to get in my car. A little street urchin was walking around the car and looking in the windows. He was dirty and ragged. When I put the key in the door he ran around to my side and asked, Mister, is this your car?’ I replied, ‘It sure is.’ ‘How much did it cost?’ he asked. ‘I really don’t know!’ With a puzzled look he said, “Why don’t you know?’ I said, with a bit of pride, ‘My brother gave it to me for Christmas.’ With surprise, the boy said, “You mean your brother gave it to you and it didn’t cost you a thing?’ ‘That’s right,” I told him.

“The boy looked down at the dirty sidewalk and seemed lost in his thoughts. Then he began, ‘I wish I could be a brother like that!’ ‘What did you say?’ I asked. He repeated, ‘I wish I could be a brother like that.’

“Excited, I said, ‘Would you like to ride in my new car?’ He looked at his dirty clothes and answered, ‘It’s so pretty and clean and I am so dirty, I might get your car dirty.’ I said to him, “You may be dirty on the outside, but you are mighty clean on the inside; get in, let’s take a ride.’

“Excited, the boy asked, ‘Would you mind driving me to my house?’ ‘Just give me directions.’ And we were on the way. A few minutes later we were in the slum area of the city.

“Turn right at the next alley. I live in the third house on the right on the second floor.’ We stopped at the front door. The boy asked, ‘Wait just a moment, I’ll be back.’ He ran up the stairs and a few minutes later, he came down those steps slowly; then I saw two other feet, withered and dangling in the air. He was carrying his little brother; infantile paralysis was written all over him. He set his brother down on the bottom step and sat beside him.

“He said, ‘There she is Buddy, just like I told you. A brand new car. His brother gave it to him for Christmas and it didn’t cost him a thing. One of these days, Buddy, I’m going to give you one just like it and it won’t cost you a thing either.’

“I helped him put his brother in the car and we went shopping. We bought a Christmas tree with all the lights and decorations. We filled up the trunk with toys and clothes and food. It was the grandest Christmas I ever had.”

This man learned the true meaning of the words of Jesus, “It is more blessed to give than to receive.” Thomas Gibbons said, “That man may last, but never lives, who much receives, but nothing gives.” Seneca once said, “Whatever I have given I still possess.” The only wealth which is forever ours is what we give to the needy. It is a gift that keeps on giving. The truth is, there is so much more joy and happiness in giving than in getting. God is the greatest giver of all.

A famous philanthropist was asked, “How are you able to give so much, and still have so much?” “Well,” he replied, “As I shovel out, He shovels in; and the Lord has a bigger shovel than I have.”