Gifts

Lucy Maud Montgomery’s short story “Christmas at Red Butte” tells of Theodora, a young woman orphaned and living with her aunt, uncle, and cousins since the disappearance of her brother Donald. Christmas is approaching, and she sacrifices her most precious possession so her cousins can have Christmas presents under the tree. It’s her sacrifice that ultimately leads to her brother’s life being saved when he returns unexpectedly on Christmas Eve. Theodora’s name means “gift of God,” and it’s the name Donald calls her (Lucy Maud Montgomery, “Christmas at Red Butte, accessed August 5, 2022, https://americanliterature.com/author/lucy-maud-montgomery/short-story/christmas-at-red-butte). Just as Theodora didn’t know when Donald would return, we can’t know when Jesus will return. In the meantime, Jesus asks us to persevere, stay faithful, and never give up hope. In this way, we become gifts from God to a waiting world.