I was sitting next to my sister-in-law during church on Sunday when she made a remark that struck a cord. She said that before Christmas last year, she adopted a needy family and bought Christmas gifts for all of the members. I wasn’t taken back by that because I have known many friends who have done the same. But she took her commitment one step further. She called the mother of the family she adopted and asked that she come and pick out the gifts for her own children. That way, my sister-in-law said, they could become friends.
Friends. She wanted to become friends with the young mother. Buying things for strangers out of goodwill is a great gesture but how often do we offer money, presents or food, but never ourselves? That’s a horse of a different color.
I think that she’s onto something. Not only is she willing to offer this young single mother a chance to give her children gifts that she couldn’t afford, she is offering her something greater: a deeper sense of self worth. And- my sister-in-law is teaching her own children that people are to be seen, heard, loved and respected regardless of their financial situation.
Now that’s a great lesson for all of our children to learn.
