I discovered something new about my youngest daughter this season. She’s a gift giver. For several months she has been anxious about not having just the right gift for each person. It took some kindness from her parents to take her concern seriously and help her find gifts for everyone. One gift was a mail ordered gift that was ordered in plenty of time to arrive by Christmas, but…
We live in Okinawa, and mail here sometimes can be maddeningly slow. Laurel’s present isn’t here, and the post office is now closed until Monday.
Tonight before bed, Laurel was in tears. It would be easy to launch right into a lecture, wouldn’t it be? Times like these I have to remind myself to spend ample time comforting.
This time, it meant telling her I knew what emotions she was feeling. You’re feeling really sad and disappointed that your present didn’t come in time.
I wanted her to know that I was sad with her. I’m sorry the gift for your brother didn’t come in on time.
At this point, I’m itching to launch into a lecture. She’s placing so much emphasis on the gift and forgetting the relationship. I’d like her to know just one thing, and then I’ll go back to comforting. You know, the gift is just a metaphor for what more important here. Know what it is? Your relationship with your brother. You wanted this gift to show him kindness and love, but the kindness and love are still here. It would be silly if we spent all our time enjoying God’s gifts and ignored him, wouldn’t it?
That’s about as much as we could handle for teaching. Lots of hugs later, I sent her to bed. Now I’m sitting, thinking about our conversation. What’s a good verse for her?Here is one I’ll probably print out for her tonight. It’s a good one to remember.
Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change. James 1:17
What other verses would you share?
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