Rejecting the Gift Because of the Giver

by allsaintsdeacon

Actress Helen Hunt won her Oscar for her role in the 1997 movie As Good As It Gets. She plays a waitress and single mom who has an asthmatic child over whom she is chronically anxious. Adding to her worries is the fact that she feels she gets a runaround from doctors and hospitals whenever her son has an attack. She’s an exhausted wreck.

Then there is a knock at the door. A doctor comes in to visit with Helen and her mom and discuss the child’s condition. She shows him his medical file. He begins to sort things out, arrange appointments and write some prescriptions. The look on Helen’s face is one of confusion, joy, and amazement at this miraculous turn of events.

“I can’t afford this,” she says.

“It’s been taken care of,” the doctor assures her.

“Who…?” she asks.

The doctor tells her it is a grumpy, cranky customer she hates to serve when he comes to the restaurant where she works. (The character is played by Jack Nicholson. Say no more.)

In an instant her expression changes. The blood drains from her face. She begins to shove all the paperwork back. “No,” she says, forcefully. “NO!”

It is a wonderfully dramatic moment in writer/director James Brooks’ script. The gift offered is perfect, exactly what the poor mom needs. But because she can’t stand the thought of it being given by someone she dislikes, she’s ready to give it back. (“You don’t do that!” her mom rebukes her. “You don’t give a gift like this back!”)

Yet the moment rings true because that’s exactly what we do too, too often, with God’s gifts. We’re in desperate need. He has the abundant power and love to help us. But it’s… Him. We’re pretty sure He is not likeable or trustworthy. We don’t want Him around. But there’s no one else stepping up who is willing to rescue us. And that Gift is on the table.

Life isn’t always like the movies. But sometimes, for a moment, I think that it just may be, after all.