When You've Done It Unto the Least of These . . .

As a mother, there are times when you grab those teachable moments and try with all your might to expound on God's Word and try to make your kids see what it takes to live a life that pleases God.  And most of the time, I'm not sure if the teaching "caught."

One of those teachable moments happened last Tuesday on Shane's birthday.  He and I ended up in an argument (on his birthday of all days!) and I tried to help him "see" a wrong attitude that I saw developing in his life.  I was pretty sure I completely messed up.  And then this morning, I was completely blown away by an example of the very trait I was trying to cram down his throat that day when we were having the argument!

Alyssa left this morning after spending the week with us for Thanksgiving.  Alyssa had already told us that she wasn't sure she'd get to spend Christmas with us because of finances and the possibility that her job wouldn't let her have the time off.  I walked into the bedroom to see her shortly before she left for the airport.  She asked me if I had seen anyone in her purse since Thanksgiving Day.  I told her I hadn't, but she informed me that someone had put a folded-up piece of paper in her wallet that said, "Do not throw away."  When she found it, it was stapled all around the edges, and when she opened it, there was $160 in it was a note that said, "This should be enough to come home for Christmas."

We couldn't figure out whose handwriting was on the piece of paper until Doug looked at it.  He said it was Shane's handwriting.  Alyssa burst into tears upon hearing that, which in turn, made me cry.  She said, "He even paid my way last night [when they had gone to the drive-in with friends]."

Shane denied it to Alyssa, but after she left, admitted that it was he that had put it into her wallet.  "I
didn't want to make her cry."

So, my lesson about being generous toward others, especially family took root.  I am so proud of Shane and his desire that his sister spend time with him.

It reminds me of when the Lord said that when we do things for others that have no way of paying us back [or college students who are just barely scraping by financially], we've done it unto the Lord.  Wow!  Shane, thank you for grabbing a teachable moment and teaching me about generosity.  And Lord, thank You for blessing me with these children, and their siblings.  My life has been so much richer because of them, and Lord, the lesson "caught"!