Handle with Care

Bible Reading: Psalm 37:21-24

“Sawyer, can I borrow one of your school shirts to wear to the basketball game tonight?” Chase asked his older brother.

“No,” Sawyer answered firmly.

“Oh, come on, please!” Chase begged. “Everyone is wearing a school shirt, but mine is in the laundry. Why can’t I wear yours?”

“Because you’d ruin it,” said Sawyer. “I said no, and that’s final.”

Just then their mother walked in. “Mom, Sawyer is being selfish!” said Chase. “Why can’t I wear his shirt this one time?”

“You know why Sawyer won’t let you wear it, Chase,” said Mom.

“But I’d be careful with it,” said Chase. “Honest!”

“Sawyer has no reason to believe that,” Mom pointed out. “Remember what happened to his camera? And his baseball cap?”

Sawyer nodded. “I’ve loaned you things before, and you didn’t take care of them.”

“When you borrowed my bike, you got it all muddy, but I didn’t get mad,” Chase shot back.

“Because I hosed it off and shined it up before I put it away,” Sawyer reminded him.

“I saw your bike after Sawyer used it and cleaned it up,” added Mom, “and it looked as good as new. But think for a moment—how would you have felt it he hadn’t done that, and you had gotten it back covered in mud?”

Chase sighed. “Bad, I guess.”

“If he didn’t seem to care about your stuff, what would you have thought about his attitude toward you?” asked Mom.

Chase took a moment to ponder the question. “I…I probably would have thought he didn’t care much about me either,” he admitted.

Mom nodded. “People are much more important than things, of course, but the way we treat other people’s things when we borrow them can show those people we care about them—or give them the opposite idea if we’re careless with their stuff. When we take care of borrowed items, it shows others that we respect them and care about their feelings. It’s one way to show others the love of Jesus, who always cares about our feelings.”

Chase looked at his brother. “I’m sorry I was careless with your stuff. If you ever let me borrow something of yours again, I promise I’ll take good care of it.”

-Agnes G. Livezey

How About You?

When you use other people’s things, are you careful with them? Do you return borrowed items as soon as possible? Do you make sure they’re in good condition when you return them? By respecting people’s things, you show respect for their owner as well. You’re showing them the love of Jesus! Show people you care about them by taking care of the things they let you borrow.

Today’s Key Verse:
Romans 12:10 (CSB) Love one another deeply as brothers and sisters. Take the lead in honoring one another.

Today’s Key Thought:

Take care of borrowed things