“…in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God for you in Christ Jesus.” (I Thessalonians 5:18 NASB)
Embracing the philosophy that she had learned in her educational pursuits, “to do it to learn,” a Sunday School teacher took her kindergarten class to a nearby dollar store on a Saturday morning to experience showing love for others. She obviously was applying her learned philosophy. On this outing, the children were not do any shopping for themselves. So in addition to showing love, the initial lesson, the students would also learn about not always focusing on self. Still another major lesson or two, would be taught outside of what they gained on their outing. Read in and you will see what I mean.
The Sunday School teacher gave each student $2 and some change for taxes. With this money they were to buy one gift and a gift bag for one of the seniors in the church as a going away present. A recognition service had been planned in place of Sunday School classes for the very next day, Sunday for this beloved member. She was indeed a senior saint who deserved the recognition for her faithfulness to God and the church over the years! Let me share just a little about her. She had lived in the same house since she was 22 years old. That’s when she got married the first time. Now a widow, losing her second husband of over 50 years, she was relocating to a city of the east coast to live with her son. Oh she was indeed a saint and she was strong spiritually, physically, and cognitively. Her thought process was great, able to remember specific facts about happenings the predated my entry into the world. She could retell stories about hard times that not even many retiree aged persons could personally relate to and she would do so with vigor and energy, expressing how God will always bring you through difficulties, diseases, dilemmas of various kinds, and even divorce. Every conversation would lead to a “I remember” stories. Those were bonus lessons for the other party in the conversation. But this senior saint had one more major lesson to share on her special day, a set aside time that the spotlight would be place on her. Truthfully, she a lesson or two, or even more.
Look at how she taught some lessons before her big move. At the presentation part of the recognition service, the little students who had shopped, choosing what they felt would be a great gift, had a set aside time on the program to present their little presents, their thoughtful gifts of love. To the front of the church they marched one by one to present their gifts. One student gave this senior saint a bottle of dollar store perfume. Even though, every Sunday, she would put a drop here and there on her neck and face of the same costly, recognizable fragrance for decades, she says to the student, “Thank you!” Another student gave her a 500 – piece puzzle. The pieces seemed to be the size of large breadcrumbs. Yet even though arthritis had finally caught up with her and had rendered her hands weary and worn, she says to the child, “Thank you!” She’s teaching a major lesson with every child’s gift. One example, not to be overlooked, was when her eyes opened as wide as small pancakes, and the smile on her face spread as far as the boundaries of the frame of her face as a student gave her a gift bag of chocolate sweets. In spite of her diabetic condition, nothing to play with and not a secret to any adult member of the congregation, once again she says, “Thank you!” The kindergartners continued bringing their gifts and regardless of the content in the gift bag, this special senior saint would pull out the gift with her face aglow with delight, her hand placed on her heart to symbolize how she had been moved, and words of two great words of gratitude freely emerged from her mouth, covered with sincerity and she always said, “Thank you!” The children and the adults present on that special day, and you and me too on this day, uncover a major lesson rooted in Scripture: “Give thanks for anything and stop complaining about everything.” The little children might have missed the entire lesson initially, but they would understand by and by. All the adults got it completely and immediately. They knew that even when bad things happen, it does not change the truth that all things work together for good for those who love the Lord and are called according to His purpose. Everyone in the filled church sanctuary said with one loud voice, after the senior saint gave her final remarks, thanking every one for everything, “Amen!” They were in total agreement with the major lesson. What do you have to say about her remark? I can’t hear you. Can you say it again, aloud? Be blessed!
“And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which also you were called in one body; and be thankful.” (Colossians 3:15 NKJV)
Still committed to the climb,
Mark L. King