A Gift of Me

Bible Reading: Galatians 5:13-14; 6:9-10

Fifty cents is all the money I have left, and that won’t buy much of a gift for Mrs. Morgan, Ivy thought as she passed Mrs. Morgan’s house. It was just the kind of day her neighbor liked—cool air and lots of bright sunshine. But Mrs. Morgan was sick and in the hospital. I hope she has a window in her hospital room, thought Ivy.

When Dad came home, Ivy asked if he had any idea what gift she could get Mrs. Morgan with only a little money. Dad thought about it. “I don’t know. Do you want me to add some money to what you already have?”

“No—it wouldn’t really be from me then,” said Ivy. “I want to get something for her with my own money.”

“Then how about an advance on your allowance?” suggested Dad.

Ivy hesitated. “I guess that would be okay. I thought about earning some more money, but Mrs. Morgan is the only one who ever hires me to help her.” She looked at Dad. “Is there anything I could do for you to earn money?”

“Well, maybe,” said Dad. “But Ivy, there are many ways of giving. Your gift to Mrs. Morgan doesn’t have to be something you buy. The Bible tells us to bear one another’s burdens. What do you think that means?”

Ivy thought for a moment. “I think it means we should help others when they’re going through hard times.”

“Right,” said Dad. “Maybe your gift to Mrs. Morgan could be something to show her that you’re sharing her troubles. That’s the kind of gift God gave us when He sent us His Son. Jesus took our sins on Himself when He died on the cross, and He promises to be with us through every struggle we face, giving us strength and comfort. When we help others in their struggles, we give them the gift of ourselves, just like Jesus did.”

Ivy thought about how Mrs. Morgan was a widow with no family living close by. I’ll try to go see her a couple times a week, she thought. And I don’t think anyone’s watering her plants or bringing her mail in—I can do those things too! I’ll do all I can to help Mrs. Morgan.

–Daryl B. Knauer

How About You?

Do you know someone who needs help? Maybe you have a friend who is sick or a neighbor who can’t keep up with their yard work. Is there a way you could help that person bear their burden? Perhaps you could help them by raking leaves, running errands, or just stopping by to visit every once in a while. When you share other people’s burdens, you lighten their load and show them Jesus’s love.

Today’s Key Verse:
Galatians 6:2 Share each other’s burdens, and in this way obey the law of Christ. (NLT)

Today’s Key Thought:

Help others