The following true story took place actually only a little over ten years ago. There was a certain American store owner who had many children, many of whom were quite little at the time. One evening, just weeks before Christmas, the business man asked two of his daughters, Regina and Emily, to join him in the living room of their home. When the little girls (aged 9 and 7) came answering to his mysterious call, they stopped short and stood wide-eyed! Spread out all over the living room couches, were all sorts of stuffed animal toys!

"We’re getting ready to put these toys out for sale," their dad explained, "And since these are going to be available as gifts for children, we wanted to get some expert advice from kids as to which toys are likely to be best sellers!"

Regina and Emily, looking at the great expanse of toys, had already quickly noticed a few that they especially liked! A small trio of bears had instantly won Emily’s heart, and a sweet fluffy penguin had quietly attracted Regina’s attention. But the girls’ excitement dimmed as they listened to their father explain how – especially with Christmas shopping season coming – he wanted to make sure the most popular toys were chosen to be on display and available for kids.

"So I’d like you two girls to pick out the toys which are your favorites," he continued, "…the ones that you think that kids would enjoy the most. You each can choose what you consider the 'top three'. Then put them in this bin, and at the sale we can feature these as the potential best sellers." That being said, the two sisters were left alone to look over the toys to determine which ones they liked the best.

Emily walked over to the bears, picked them up, and began to play with them, feeling how well they all three matched together. Meanwhile, Regina had sought out the little penguin and held it close, stroking its fluffy black back and hugging it to make sure it had that snugly feel. Both girls smiled. These toys, no doubt, would win any kid’s heart.

But almost immediately, they each were struck with the same dreadful thought - whatever toys they’d pick would be sent to their family’s store for sale, and they would never see them again!

Regina and Emily looked at each other, silently seeking the other sister’s advice. Their father wouldn’t know if they chose different animals… ones that were not their favorites. They could still be very nice toys! Other kids might even like them better! Most importantly, if the girls chose toys that weren't their favorites - but were still very nice - they could be sure their favorites wouldn't be sold and no one would know the difference...but their dad had specifically asked them to pick out the ones they liked best…

"Well…we should be honest." Emily said at last.

"Yes, we should." Regina agreed, with a fervent nod of her head.

Thus agreed and with painful resolve, poor Emily picked out the little bears and placed them in the large clear bin that would transport the toys to the place where the Christmas sale was. Regina quietly followed the bears with her favorites. Having made their selections, the girls watched as the toys were dutifully packed up and taken away. Emily glanced into the clear bin and saw the bears scattered through it.

"I’m never going to see them again…" she thought to herself sadly before walking away. "Oh well…"

A few weeks later, Christmas came. As the family was happily gathered around and opening up their presents, Regina and Emily had already forgotten about their sacrifice of only a few weeks ago. Imagine the two sisters’ great surprise when each unwrapped the very stuffed animals which they had set apart as their favorites!

"Daddy, look! It's the toys!"

"Look what we got, Dad!"

With the prizes held aloft in their triumphant hands, the two girls immediately hurried to their father's side! Quiet pleased at the sight of his daughter's happy faces, the father revealed his clever secret.

"I wanted to know which of the toys to give you for Christmas," he explained, "And I knew that the best way to find out the ones which were your favorites was to have you pick them out yourselves."

Bursting with excitement, the girls eagerly shared their side of the story. They admitted their struggle to tell the truth and yet how they had nevertheless been honest because they knew their dad wanted them to be - even though they were sure that they would never have seen the little animals again!

"And then...we unwrapped the same ones we picked!" Emily concluded happily, reliving her surprise!

"Yes!" Regina smiled with great relief, realizing what would have happened had they chosen other toys.

If the two girls had disobeyed their father by being dishonest and choosing toys that were not their favorites to send to the Christmas sale, they would have unwrapped those toys instead of the ones they liked. Then the toys that were their favorites really would have disappeared forever.

Regina and Emily were extremely grateful that they had been honest and their eager story brought a smile to their father's face. He, also, was very grateful to Heaven. This lesson was a gift that his daughters would keep far beyond this Christmas. Hearing his daughters recount the temptation they had when choosing the toys, he nodded understandingly.

"Ah, well! You see how good God is?" he smiled at them proudly. "He has rewarded you for your honesty."