I love the movie “The Ultimate Gift.”  I know it is kind of cheesy at times, but it is a powerful movie on so many levels…and I cry every time I watch it.  It is about a trust-fund man named Jason who in his early 20’s who hasn’t had to work a day in his life because of his rich grandfather.  We find out at the beginning of the movie that the grandfather has died and at the reading of the will, only Jason is left with a gift.

However, in order to receive the “unknown” gift, he must accomplish tasks that had been set out by his grandfather.  Throughout the movie, Jason has numerous opportunities to give up, but he keeps on going and his life becomes transformed as he is forced to completely evaluate every area of his life.  Once those tasks were completed, he met with the lawyer and is given a check for $100 million.  However, once he received this incredible gift, he acknowledges that his life would feel differently, but it wasn’t.  Instead of spending all of the money on himself (which he would have done at the beginning of the movie), Jason chooses to build a hospital, called Emily's Home, for patients with terminal illnesses.  Jason is recalled to the law firm for one more meeting and told he has exceeded the expectations of his dead grandfather, and he is given the final gift of $2 billion dollars, rewarding Jason not only for his completing the tasks, but for using the $100 million to help others.

If Jason had stopped at the $100 million, he could have led a happy life, never needing anything again, but he gave it back and received a much greater reward.  In Matthew 13:12 Jesus says, “Whoever has will be given more, and they will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what they have will be taken from them.”

It is always tempting to hold on to what we have, but Jesus is asking us to hold what we have with an open hand.  To be able to give, but also to receive.  There are so many more blessings we could be receiving if we are willing to do this.  Are there areas in your life where you are living with a closed hand?  Are there areas in your life that you are living with an open hand?

You could have had this, but instead you only received this.

- Pastor Jeremy