Of Gum and Gratitude
Posted by Danielle Bean in Faith on Wednesday, November 25, 2009 2:42 PM
This afternoon, Gabby had two sticks of gum. When she made the mistake of letting her younger brother Raphael know of her good fortune, he asked for a piece.
“Wouldn’t it be nice to share with your brother?” I suggested.
Gabby grimaced.
“But I only have two pieces,” she said. “If I give one to Rafe I’ll only have one left!”
“But God wants us to share,” I told her. “Besides, sometimes when we share, good things come back to us,” I added, knowing full well that I had an unopened package of gum in my purse that I would use to reward any act of generosity on her part.
Gabby looked at the gum in her hand, looked at her brother, and then looked back at me.
As I watched her interior struggle, I could see myself in my daughter. Not that I love gum so much, but I do love many things. And I know that God must see me as such a silly little creature sometimes, mourning some small loss while He waits, always ready to reward me with an abundance of grace.
I decided not to push Gabby too hard, but in the end, she did reluctantly hand a stick of gum to her younger brother.
While she looked mournfully at the single stick left in her hand, I sneaked away and brought back two pieces of gum from my purse.
“Because you were so generous with your brother,” I told Gabby as I handed her the gum, “I will be generous with you.”
Her face lit up.
But Raphael’s didn’t. His eyes grew wide with disbelief. And I think I saw a little bit of myself in my son this time when he looked with disgust at the single stick of gum he had—just moments ago—been so happy to receive.
“That’s not fair!” he said, “How come she gets three pieces now and I only have one!”
Hmmm. Lots of lessons in grace, generosity, and gratitude here this Thanksgiving. For all of us.
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