I might buy an iTunes giftcard. Or scarves. Or more science and documentary movies. Or a neck pillow. Or something cute from Etsy. Or jellybeans.
I wouldn’t by a vase for rice. That wouldn’t even cross my mind. I don’t like rice that much. I have a pantry and fridge of stuff I do like–plenty of it. Meat, cheese, bread, cheese, cereal, cheese, veggies, cheese, fruit . . and I think I have some cheese, too.
For me, birthday money is about what I want, not about what my family needs to survive. I don’t have to worry about bugs or moisture getting into my food. I think life is bad when my back hurts or I have to get the oil filters in my car replaced. I would be dejected if I had to spend my birthday money on some kind of necessity.
But for one 11-year-old girl in India, dejected wasn’t at all the tone of her thank-you letter to me for birthday money. She explained how my little gift had bought her family a container to hold their rice so it wouldn’t spoil. She sent “heartfelt thanks” and “loving thanks and love once again” and just to make sure she got the point across, closed “with loving thanks”.
It makes me wonder . . how much the world would change . . if everyone spent their money as selflessly as this 11-year-old girl in India.
What good is it, dear brothers and sisters, if you say you have faith but don’t show it by your actions? Can that kind of faith save anyone? Suppose you see a brother or sister who has no food or clothing, and you say, “Good-bye and have a good day; stay warm and eat well”—but then you don’t give that person any food or clothing. What good does that do? (James 2:14-16, NLT)
If God is stirring your heart to help a child, you can sponsor a child and share the love of Jesus Christ through Compassion International today.
Click here to sponsor a child from India.
Or here to sponsor a child from anywhere in the world.
____________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________
Photograph by McKay Savage, profile on http://www.flickr.com/photos/mckaysavage/
Photograph is under Creative Commons License.
gracestories 