Great Things in Small Packages

Have you ever received a really tiny Christmas present and wondered what on earth it could be?

Is there actually anything in here at all, I’ve wondered on the occasions when I’ve been the recipient of one.

During a family Christmas a couple of years ago, a minute parcel actually went missing for quite some time, causing the sender to feel really anxious about its whereabouts. Happily, it eventually made a reappearance.

I’m sure that at some time or another, we’ve all disguised a very small gift by placing it in a large box, thereby confusing the person about to receive it!

In a society which places increasing importance on material things and where shop advertising for all manner of goods becomes prevalent in the “run-up” to Christmas, presents and gifts have taken on a significance which may be considered to be out of all proportion to the holy and festive season.

Yet biggest is not, of course, always best. There is a proverb which states that “good things come in small packages”, and it’s easy to recognise the truth in this.

The tiniest parcel can contain a gift of great value, such as jewellery. Small can mean beautiful, talented or gifted in any context. Tiny may represent value, perfection or authenticity.

Over two thousand years ago the most wondrous arrival ever known came in the smallest of packages when our Lord Jesus Christ was born of the Virgin Mary.

Our God sent his only begotten Son to be with us, and be with us in human form as a little helpless baby, who was born of a young virgin and a simple carpenter.

In this case small was truly sublime.

Jesus was born in the humblest of places and his early life was spent in obscurity.

During his years of ministry he ate and drank with sinners, tax collectors and prostitutes.

And eventually he was put to death in the manner of a common criminal.

Yet he was and is our Lord and Saviour.

So this Christmas may we be aware that love, goodness, beauty and kindness come in a variety of shapes and sizes.

St Paul reminds us that “these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love!”

Julia Beacroft’s book Sanctifying The Spirit is published by Sancio Books. It is available on Amazon.