"Don’t solve the murder: save the life."

“Don’t solve the murder: save the life.”

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Sherlock, The Sign of Three

In which Sherlock’s wedding gift to John was telling him that he’d finally learned from John that human life is more important than solving puzzles. It was a four-year-late answer to John’s question in The Great Game, “Just so I know, do you care about them at all?” It was him acknowledging that he does care, because John taught him to care. That compassion for a life at risk is more important than catching the person who put it at risk. Sherlock gives John the gift of letting him know that he’s learned to care.