A Special Honor

A Special Honor

Everyone will honor the Son, just as they honor the Father.

John 5:23

The late actress Helen Hayes is one of my all-time favorites. She showed such class, humor, and dramatic ability during her acting career. She had, of course, been honored many times for her acting and stage performances.

When Helen was portraying Mary of Scotland, though, she received the most touching tribute an actress could ever hope to get. After the matinee one winter’s afternoon, as darkness was falling and the bitter cold was setting in, she left the theater by the stage door. Outside, standing in the cold, was a small boy who gazed at Helen adoringly. She thought it odd, but when he quickly ran away, she dismissed the incident and went home.

For several days, after each afternoon matinee, the young boy faithfully appeared again outside the stage door. She would smile at him, and he would run away, not daring to speak to her.

Finally one day, as she came out to get into her car, the little boy impulsively ran up to her and thrust something into her hand, then fled down the street at a dead run. Miss Hayes watched him go and wondered about him, then she glanced down at her hand to find herself holding a small box. Opening it carefully, she found a little gilded medal bearing the inscription, “Scholarship Medal, Public School 42, 1933.” Her heart melted. She knew she had been exceedingly honored by her young admirer because he had obviously given her his most prized possession.

Our heavenly Father also honored us beyond imagination when he gave us his most prized possession—his Son, Jesus. And while we can’t hold him in our hands, we can hold him in our hearts for all eternity. In that way we can honor both the Father and the Son in return for the marvelous gift they have given us.

Gracious Father, I come to you in humble thanks and awe that you would give your precious Son for me. I promise to hold him in my heart forever. Amen.