Wages Vs Gifts

  

I just returned from an interesting discussion with my youngest grandson over breakfast. I made the young man oatmeal as he asked on my mornings when I do not have to go to my dialysis treatments. It all started with a question. "Papi, what do wages mean?" I told him it is a payment for something one does. "You understand that. No, Papi." Well, if one performs a service, that service is paid by a wage, meaning it is earned. "But what are you referring to?" Death Papi, what are the wages of death? OHHHHH, that's where you are going. So, I started "The wages of sin is death" (and my grandson finished the scripture by memory). After hiding the proud moment, I was having at the time. I then asked, what would that be if someone got something they did not work for and was done out of caring for another? After several perplexing moments where he blurted out what he thought I was thinking about to no avail, I said if I gave you five bucks to go to the store to buy whatever you wanted, what would that be? Several wrong answers later. I kept hammering at the question trying to make him think. OK, let's try this if you did something well, and I wanted to give you something, what would that be? "a reward" Yes, but what else would it be? He then had a look; you know this look (????????) OK, if it is your birthday and you get something you like, what would that be, he answered a present. Tell me the memory verse again, and we will figure it out. So, we said it together. The wages of sin is death, but the Gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ, our lord. Now what is what you get just because? After looking at him with that (I don't get it to look), I said OK, say the scripture and see if you can get it. The wages of sin is death but the Gift. (the what?) the Gift (let's say that again), the Gift of god. OK, so what is it? (Computing noises for a second or two) it's a gift. There you do, son. It's a gift. And now, what is a gift? Do you get a gift for working? Before you answer, I'll tell you work is work and deserves a wage, so it's never a gift because you have to do something. (Trust me on that one). So, what is a gift? Is it something because you deserve it (no Papi)? OK, what then is it? Is it something I get just because I'm here (or words to that effect)? All right then, now we know that wages are for work and you earned it and not deserving of it; we also know that a gift is given just because, but because what exactly? Because you are giving it to me for free because I am here, and……  Because I'm your grandson and you love me. There you go. Good, so if we get wages, it means we worked for it and earned it, but a gift is because of no other reason than the father, and in my case, the grandfather wants to give it to you; it's free and without any other reason that you are a son. Are we good now? Yes. I thanked him because he gave me something to write about today. I want to thank his teachers at church because it caused him to continue to ask questions that will serve him well in and outside of the faith.