For whoever has, to him more shall be given; and whoever does not have, even what he has shall be taken away from him — Mark 4:25 (NASB)

I’ve met some very brilliant people in my life, great minds who have an intellect that puts me to shame. I have a decent handle on mathematics, but when it comes to advanced applications such as Calculus, I am lost.

What I do have is a desire to learn. Maybe not so much Calculus or a World Language, rather to have a better grasp of what I already know and to be open to learning new things. I never believed that my education stopped when I completed my college studies, rather I’ve long looked at my years since then as opportunities to keep on learning, but in an unstructured environment.

Jesus encouraged his disciples to keep on learning too, promising those who did that new things would be revealed to them. Not new and contradictory doctrine, as some would say, rather a deeper understanding of who He is, what God wants from us, His plans for us, etc.

Mark 4:21-25 is known as the parable of the light under the basket. Jesus asks his people where a light is to be put — under a bed or on a lampstand? Clearly, the answer would be on a lampstand where all would see it.  Back in verse 11, Jesus told his disciples that  ”…it has been given to know the mystery of God; but to those who are outside, all things come in parables…”

For the follower who seeks the light (that is the knowledge of God), Jesus’ intention is for them to have all truth revealed. Thus, putting the light away as in under the bed will mean that the follower will not learn truth.

Even more emphatically Jesus warns the person who has truth but doesn’t seek to learn more, that even what he has will be taken away from him.  I equate this warning to the Christian who refuses to open his Bible to learn of God; eventually what knowledge of the truth they do possess fades away.

One of the biggest problems in this world isn’t a lack of knowledge, rather people pursuing worldly knowledge at the exclusion of knowing God. Quite frankly I am not opposed to people furthering their formal education, but if they do that at the expense of learning more about the higher purposes of God then their great intellect will do them no good ultimately.

Perhaps that is the reason why we have so many smart people in this world who are truly clueless when it comes to the things of God.

The mind of the prudent acquires knowledge, And the ear of the wise seeks knowledge — Proverbs 18:15 (NASB).

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A man’s gift makes room for him, and brings him before great men — Proverbs 18:16 (WEB).

How important is it to give a gift? Well, judging by this one scripture in Proverbs, it can be extremely important.

I’m old enough to recall a time when it was commonplace for people to give gifts at Christmastime to people who were helpful to them throughout the year. Back then it was expected that you would tip the mailman, butcher, delivery boy, doorman and anyone else in a service position. Those tips usually helped to compensate for a modest salary, providing a nice year end gift to see the person through the holiday season.

But, it was also considered by many to be a “bribe” of sorts to curry favor with the recipient. If you wanted the doorman to hail a taxi for you in a driving rain or have the newspaper boy leave your news in a dry place, then you’d compensate them accordingly, otherwise you’d risk being ignored for the ensuing twelve month period!

Jacob was someone who was wise to the importance of not only giving a gift but a very big one at that. In his case his powerful brother Esau was the recipient although Jacob’s motive for blessing him was purely a matter of self preservation.

You see, the last time that they saw each other Jacob tricked their father, Isaac, into blessing him instead of Esau (Genesis 27:27-29). Jacob fled the scene with Esau pondering Jacob’s demise in his heart (Genesis 27:41); those words were relayed to Jacob via their mother Rebekah (v.42), which forced Jacob to flee and stay away for many years.

Upon returning, Jacob feared that Esau would still be angry with him, hence the unusually large gift to appease his brother.

So he spent the night there. Then he selected from what he had with him a present for his brother Esau: two hundred female goats and twenty male goats, two hundred ewes and twenty rams, thirty milking camels and their colts, forty cows and ten bulls, twenty female donkeys and ten male donkeys — Genesis 32:12-14 (NASB).

I can think of a better gift to receive and one without any strings (or hard feelings) attached whatsoever — God’s salvation.

You see, God sent His son into the world not to condemn the world but that the world would be saved through Jesus (John 3:17). It is a gift that was freely given, available to all humankind and something you cannot earn, buy, or trade for. Your gifts to God are nothing in comparison to what He has for you, although giving your life to Him is one gift that God will always receive.

I certainly can do nothing to merit God’s favor and I’m actually glad for that. Even before I was fully aware that my sins separated me from God, the gift of salvation was there waiting.

When I recognized my sinfulness and my need to be forgiven, I unlocked a gift that keeps on giving. I understood that Jesus dying for my sins and rising from the dead absolved me of my sins and opened the way to life everlasting.

Most gifts are quickly forgotten, often forsaken and sometimes broken or delivered with strings attached. The gift of salvation has been given by God which allows the recipient to be brought before the One who is above great men.

Have you opened up your gift of salvation yet?

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