THOSE WHO ARE GENEROUS STORE UP TREASURES IN HEAVEN.
Bible Reading of the Day: Read Luke 12:27-34.
Verse of the Day: “Your Father already knows your needs. He will give you all you need from day to day if you make the Kingdom of God your primary concern” (Luke 12:30-31).
Mark and Marcy walked toward the store, hand in hand with their mother. Each held a shiny quarter Mom had given them as they got out of the car.
“While I’m doing my shopping,” Mom told the children, “you may look around and decide what you want to buy with your money.”
They arrived at the curb in front of the store. An elderly woman sat beside the door, holding a slotted can with which she accepted donations for a local charity.
Mark smiled as he started to walk past the woman. Then he turned back toward the woman and slipped his quarter into the can. She smiled warmly, and thanked him.
Marcy watched Mark with wide eyes but said nothing until she saw a row of vending machines as they entered the store. Tearing free of her mom’s hand, she dashed to the machines and, after a few moments of excited inspection, dropped her quarter into one of the machines. Out came a handful of tiny multicolored candies, which Marcy ate happily as she walked the aisles of the store with her mother.
Marcy pushed the shopping cart as they left the store. The woman was still in her chair by the door, collecting donations as people passed by. She smiled at Mark.
“Thank you again, young man,” the woman said. “God bless you.”
Mark returned her smile and seemed to glow as he walked toward the car.
Marcy could see the satisfaction on her brother’s face. “That’s not fair,” she said.
“What’s not fair?” Mom asked.
“I should have given my money to the lady,” she answered.
“Why didn’t you?”
Marcy thought for a moment. “Because,” she said. “Because I wanted candy. But my candy’s all gone now.”
“But Mark spent his money on something that lasts longer than candy,” Mom said.
“He did?” Marcy asked.
“I did?” Mark asked.
Mom nodded. “Mark’s still enjoying that quarter he gave away, isn’t he?” she said to Marcy. “And even if he forgets all about it someday, God will remember.”
Marcy appeared to be thinking hard. Suddenly her face brightened. “Mommy, can we come back here sometime?” Mom nodded and smiled. She knew what Marcy was planning.
TO DO: Give each member of the family a quarter (or a dollar) and instruct everyone to use that quarter to find a new way to be generous to someone tomorrow.
TO PRAY: “Lord, help us to store up treasure in heaven, rather than here on earth.”
