A Gift for Mom

Read: Colossians 3:20-25

Daniel plopped down on the top step and scowled. His sister, Nia, found him there. “Tomorrow is Mother’s Day, and we don’t have a gift for Mom yet,” she said. “Let’s go see what we can find.”

“I can’t,” Daniel said. “Mom says I can’t go anywhere. I didn’t clean my room right away like she told me to, and then when I did do it, she still wasn’t satisfied. I told her it was my room and it looked fine to me, so I didn’t care what she thought!”

Nia gasped. “Daniel!”

“I know,” Daniel said. “It was a dumb thing to say. She grounded me and then made me clean my room again anyway.”

“Great, now how am I supposed to get her a present?” asked Nia. “Maybe if I ask her, she’ll let you walk into town with me.”

Nia went and made her request, but when Mom said no, Nia became angry and talked back. So she got grounded too.

After dinner the next day, Daniel and Nia felt bad about not having a gift for their mom. “We wanted to get you something yesterday,” Nia explained to her, “but you wouldn’t let us go to the store.”

Dad raised his eyebrows. “So it’s Mom’s fault you don’t have a present for her?”

“Well…no,” Daniel replied slowly.

“Tell me,” said Dad, “why is it you wanted to give Mom a present in the first place?”

“Because it’s Mother’s Day, and we wanted to show that we love her,” said Nia.

“And what’s the best way to show your love?” Dad asked.

“Well, um…giving presents and stuff is one way,” said Daniel.

“And we also show people we love them by the way we act toward them.” Nia sighed. “Yesterday we didn’t act like we loved you, Mom. I’m sorry I talked back to you.”

“Me too, Mom,” said Daniel. “And I’m sorry I didn’t obey you right away.”

“I forgive you both,” said Mom.

“And so will Jesus,” said Dad. “We also disobey Him when we don’t obey our parents, but He will always forgive us and help us show our love for others through our actions.”

Mom nodded. “When you obey me, you give Jesus a present too!”

–Agnes Livezey

How about you? Do you tell your parents that you love them—not only by saying it or giving them presents, but by obeying them? Or do you whine and complain and sometimes talk back when they ask you to do something? When you obey your parents, it’s like giving them a gift out of love—and you do the same when you obey Jesus. Obey Him by obeying your parents.

Today's Key Verse: Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. Ephesians 6:1 (NKJV)

Today's Key Thought: Obey your parents