325- The Most Precious Gift

A young man was getting ready to graduate from college. For many months he had admired a beautiful sports car in a dealer’s showroom. Knowing that his father could well afford it, he told him that this was all he wanted. As Graduation Day approached, the young man awaited signs that his father had purchased the car. Finally, on the morning of his graduation, his father called him into his private study-room. His father told him how proud he was to have such a fine son and told him how much he loved him. He handed his son a beautifully wrapped gift box.

Curious and somewhat disappointed, the young man opened the box and found a lovely, leather-bound Bible, with the young man’s name embossed in gold. Angry, he raised his voice as he spoke to his father and said, “With all your money, you give me a Bible?”

He then stormed out of the house.

Many years passed and the young man was very successful in business. He had a beautiful home and a wonderful family but realized that his father was very old and thought perhaps he should go to him. He had not seen him since that graduation day. Before he could make arrangements, he received a telegram telling him that his father had passed away and willed all of his possessions to his son. He needed to come home immediately and take care of things.

When he arrived at his father’s house, sudden sadness and regret filled his heart. He began to search through his father’s important papers and saw the still gift-wrapped Bible, just as he had left years ago. With tears, he opened the Bible and began to turn pages. His father had carefully underlined a verse, Matt. 7:11,

“And if you, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children,

How much more shall your Heavenly Father give to those who ask Him?”

As he read those words, a car key dropped from the back of the Bible. It had a tag with the dealer’s name, the same dealer who had the sports car he had desired. On the tag was the date of his graduation and the words “Paid in Full.”

It would have been beneficial for this son if he had read the Bible from cover to cover for it contains many precious lessons, such as:

“A foolish son is a grief to his father, and bitterness to her who has borne him” (Prov. 17.25).

→ English translation of the story here at St-Takla.org: أغلى هدية!

Your Book is a wonderful heavenly trip,

 Faster than any car or rocket.

 It lead us to the source of sanctity and wisdom.

 Teach me, train me and support me.

 Your word is my life and strength.

A Priest Learns

Short Stories (Stories for the Youth) Books by Father Tadros Yacoub Malaty

A Bouquet of Dead Flowers