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  • Have You Heard The Classic Short Story By ...  PRO

    Contributed by Sermon Central on Dec 13, 2002 (message contributor)

    based on 21 ratings   (rate this sermon illustration)
     | 3,435 views

Have you heard the classic short story by O’Henry, "The Gift of the Magi?"

The story is about a young married couple who are very much in love. Christmas is approaching and neither one has enough money to buy the other a Christmas gift. Each one does have one prized possession that they hold dear to themselves. Something they treasure very much -Della, the wife, has beautiful waist length long hair. - Jim, the husband, has a beautiful gold pocket watch that belonged to his grandfather.

In her love for her husband, Jim, - Della goes to a wig maker and sells her hair in order to buy for Jim a beautiful extravagant gold chain for his watch.

Jim in the mean time, sells his watch in order to buy Della a beautiful set of combs and hair brushes for her hair.

Each one out of their love for the other sacrifices the one thing they prize the most for the other. Here is the last paragraph in the story:

" The magi, as you know, were wise men - wonderfully wise men - who brought gifts to the Babe in the manger. They invented the art of giving Christmas presents. Being wise, their gifts were no doubt wise ones. And here I have lamely related to you the uneventful chronicle of two foolish children in a flat who most unwisely...

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