THE  CHRISTMAS  PRESENT
 
 

Just a few more hours and Christmas vacation would start !
 

The students of a sixth grade class were having trouble 
concentrating on their lesson for the day. They were 
impatient for their Christmas party to begin.  They would 
have punch with cookies and cakes and other goodies !  They 
had each drawn names a week before so each child would 
have a present to open. 
 
 

However, their Teacher, Mrs. Smith, had just asked her 
students a question. It was regarding the chapter they had 
been studying in their Geography books. The students were 
supposed to have read and studied this particular chapter
over the past weekend.
 
 

As was the usual procedure, if a student knew the answer 
they were to raise their hands and the teacher would call on 
them. So when several students quickly did so, Mrs. Smith 
proceeded to call on them, one at a time. She noticed that 
one of her students named Tina, who had NOT raised her 
hand, had her head down, as if she had fallen asleep. 
Mrs. Smith walked over to Tina's desk and stared down 
at her, tapping her foot impatiently. 
 
 

Oh ! this was just not acceptable, for a student of hers 
to fall asleep during class time. Mrs. Smith was very put 
out. Suddenly, Tina said aloud  " In Jesus's Name I Pray, 
Amen. " 
 
 

The other students immediately began to giggle and snicker. 
Then it quickly turned into loud laughter from the whole 
class. Tina heard the noise and commotion going on around 
her as she raised her head. She saw Mrs. Smith standing 
there, looking down at her with an angry look on her face. 
 
 

The children had stopped laughing and were now watching 
their teacher. They wondered how she was going to 
handle this 'situation'.  In a loud and scolding manner 
Mrs. Smith remarked " Tina, you know there is no praying 
allowed in class. You know that praying aloud in a public 
school is no longer permitted !  Now what do you have to 
say for yourself ?"
 
 

Tina looked up at her teacher with tears in her eyes. 
" I'm....I'm sorry Mrs. Smith. "  At that moment one of 
the boys in class yelled out " Yeah Mrs. Smith, there's no 
praying allowed in school and I'm gonna tell my parents 
about this !"  Then one of the girls spoke up " That's right 
and my dad's not going to like this one bit !"  After that, 
the other students joined in and began shouting out their 
protests as well. 
 
 

Finally Mrs. Smith told them to 'Be quiet !' But still she 
felt she had no choice but to excort Tina to the Principal's 
office. She felt Tina needed a little talk and reminder 
about Public School rules and policies.
 
 

Tina and her teacher walked down the hallway together to 
the Principal's office. After they were seated, Mrs. Smith 
proceeded to tell the Principal, Mr. Daley, what had just 
taken place in her classroom. She told him that Tina had 
been praying in class and had said part of her prayer aloud 
in front of the other students.
 
 

Tina sat quietly with her little hands folded together on 
her lap. She listened as her teacher told about what she 
had done 'wrong'.  Mr. Daley then asked Tina 'why' she 
had done this and didn't she know the public school rules 
by now ?' 
 

" Tina, you know there is no praying aloud in school because 
it might offend other students, and teachers as well, for 
that matter."
 
 

Tina looked over at Mr. Daley, then at Mrs. Smith. At that
point, Tina had big tears rolling down her cheeks. She had 
always been Mrs. Smith's best student and had never been in 
any kind of trouble before.  She had always shown herself to 
be a very sweet and well-mannered young lady. But...now 
she was in trouble.
 
 

When Tina didn't answer, Mr. Daley asked " Why Tina ? 
Why did you do it ?"  Then Tina looked over at her teacher, 
gently wiping the tears from her eyes, and answered " Mrs. 
Smith, I'm sorry if I broke one of the rules. I didn't 
mean to. It's just that.....well, you see..the other day 
when we all drew names for our Christmas party, you 
remember how when the number didn't come out even... 
so you added in your name ?  Well I drew your name 
Mrs. Smith. " 
 

" Yes, I remember Tina. " 
 

" Well....we don't have very much money. My daddy 
couldn't afford for me to buy you a present. So I thought 
about it a whole lot and I decided to give you a different 
kind of present. I wanted to give you a real special kind 
of present so I decided to give you a prayer. And that's 
what I was doing....I was talking to Jesus, saying a prayer 
for you. "
 

Mr. Daley and Mrs. Smith were both speechless at that 
point. " Go on Tina. "  said her teacher. 
 
 

" Well, I prayed that the Lord would watch over you, 
first of all. You see, our Preacher at church said the other 
day that there are bad things happening in public schools 
today and that we should pray for our teachers and pray 
for the students too. I told my daddy how much I like my 
teacher and how nice you always are to us. I told him that 
you are my favorite teacher of all Mrs. Smith. "
 
 

Mr. Daley and Mrs. Smith listened as Tina explained. " My 
daddy wanted me to be Home-schooled but, well, he has to 
go to work every day. My mother went Home to Heaven a 
year ago. It's just me and my daddy now. My Granny takes 
care of me after school every day until my daddy gets home 
from work. Oh but you don't have to worry about me 'coz 
I have the best daddy in the whole world ! We go to church 
together every Sunday and he even gets up real early just to 
make sure that I get to Sunday School on time. And he 
reads to me from the Bible every night before I go to sleep. 
My daddy and I have Jesus living in our hearts.... right 
here."  Tina pointed to her heart. 
 
 

Mrs. Smith pulled out a hanky from her skirt pocket and 
began dabbing her eyes. Mr. Daley was looking down at his 
desk. He too had tears in his eyes. Speaking in a much kinder 
and softer voice now, he asked Tina " You mean that you 
were giving Mrs. Smith her Christmas present when you 
were praying in class Tina ?" 
 
 

Tina answered " Yes sir. I was going to tell her what
her present was, just before our party got started. " 
" Mrs. Smith, I promise, I really was going to tell you, but, 
well I guess I waited too long. I'm sorry for breaking the 
rules and for being in trouble today. I hope you're not 
mad at me." 
 
 

 Mr. Daley and Mrs. Smith were both quiet. They both 
felt very ashamed of themselves.  Mrs. Smith rose from 
her chair and walked over to Tina. " Tina, would you mind 
if I gave you a hug ?"  Tina smiled and her teacher 
bent down and gave her a big hug.
 
 

" Tina, I want to apologize to you. I'm so sorry. I....I 
didn't know. I didn't understand. I'm sorry the children 
laughed and made fun of you.  I want you to know that I 
appreciate my wonderful Christmas present and I thank 
you for it, so very much. "  Mrs. Smith smiled at Tina. 
"And Tina, that's the nicest present anyone has ever given 
me." 
 
 

Tina looked over at Mr. Daley and said " Then I'm not in 
trouble anymore ? "  Mr. Daley smiled and answered " No 
Tina, you're not in any trouble....and may I tell you 
something else ?  I sure would like it if you'd draw my 
name next year so I could get a Christmas present as nice 
as the one you gave to Mrs. Smith today."
 
 

Tina's face lit up and she gave him a great big smile. 
" Thank you Mr. Daley, and I'll just bet that you get one 
of those presents too, even if I don't draw your name ! "
 
 

Just before they reached the doorway of the classroom, 
Mrs. Smith stopped and turned to Tina. " I learned 
something very important today....and I learned it from a 
very special young lady.  You see Tina, you didn't just give 
me ONE Christmas present today. You gave me some very 
important things to think about. You've shown me what has 
been missing in my heart and life.  I guess I have some 
praying to do of my own, don't I ? "
 
 

" Oh that's okay Mrs. Smith. And.....Mrs. Smith.....my 
daddy says that Jesus always hears His Children's prayers."

Author/Short Story written by:
Tammy Boatman-Young
2001
Fictional Short Story
 

I  WISH  YOU  A  VERY  MERRY  CHRISTMAS !
 

The  Gospel  song  that  you  hear  playing  is  called 
" I   Asked  The  Lord "