HELLO, CHILDREN!
Where's My PAY? Our Grandpa Max is well known for having fantastic experiences. That happened this week, when he and Grandma visited us. They were so excited about being able to take their first vacation with us in our travel home. Naturally Grandpa found all kinds of things to tinker with and repair on the vehicle. So several times he took his toolbox out to the place where the travel home was parked in its “fresh air garage.” There was one thing that Grandpa couldn’t quite manage by himself. “I need four hands for this. Someone needs to hold this line,” insisted the hobby mechanic. Just then a boy happened by. He could have been about your age; he was probably on vacation and bored–as one is when there is no school. “Excuse me! Can you help me a second?” called Grandpa Max. The boy came closer. “Here, hold this rope for me,” Grandpa asked the boy, and then quickly finished what he was doing.“Now, that worked really well with two persons. You helped me very much. Thanks a lot!” our Grandpa said cheerfully.“And where’s my pay?” the young man challenged.Grandpa, who comes from Vorpommern, thought he hadn’t quite understood the boy’s Saxon language right.“Excuse me?”“Well, I helped. I get money for helping.”Grandpa was flabbergasted, something that rarely happens. “So how much do you want?” Grandpa is always ready to banter.“Four Marks [about $2],” was the price the helper named.“I don’t have any money on me,” Grandpa explained–and it was true. “Besides, it’s a favor and nice when people can help each other!” Grandpa held a short lecture about helpfulness without pay. Because he tells good stories and gets along really well with youngsters, we were made to think that the boy should have hung his head and said something like, “I really liked helping you! Your thanks is payment enough.” Then the story would have been over; but no.“Then I only want one Mark!” the helper insisted further, and Grandpa started to perspire. The two dickered for a while. Only because Grandpa Max really didn’t have any money on him did the youngster finally trot off. “If he had seen just one Mark in the travel home, I probably would have had to redeem myself,” Grandpa thought aloud to himself.At dinnertime, Grandpa gave the experience his best. He began: “I had something special happen today.…”Everyone piqued his ears, because Grandpa can make an adventure out of nothing. He related the story up to the point where the helper demanded his pay. “What would you have said or done after I thanked you?” Grandpa Max tested his grandchildren. He was able to be satisfied with the result, for not one came up with the idea of asking money for his help. Mother was especially relieved that her children weren’t greedy or calculating.Grandpa finished to the end. The children doubted whether their Grandpa had really had that happen. “Did you make up the story to give us a grandchildren’s test?” the oldest one wanted to know. Grandpa’s experience seemed too unbelievable to his grandchildren.What would you have done if you had passed Grandpa Max working by the travel home?What would you say if someone thanked you? Have you experienced times when your help was needed?The Bible tells us: “But to do good and to communicate forget not: for with such sacrifices God is well pleased.” Hebrews 13:16. Who is our Example in helpfulness?“And he [Jesus] healed many that were sick.…” Mark 1:34. Jesus never passed by anyone who needed Him. And Jesus helps us today in all areas of our life; He even helps us to have eternal life. “He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life.” John 3:36.For Jesus, this help was no small sacrifice, for He redeemed us through His death on the cross. There can be no greater help, sacrifice, or service of love. What does Jesus require us to pay?Yet what can we do?We can show Jesus that we love Him! How?
• We are interested in what Jesus tells us = read in the Bible! 2 Timothy 3:16.
• We speak with Jesus, thank Him, put our worries in His hands. 1 Thessalonians 5:17.
• We obey Jesus = keep His commandments. 1 John 5:2, 3.
• We try to be more like Jesus = grow in sanctification. 1 Thessalonians 4:3.
• We gather with our fellow believers in church. Acts 2:42.
• We love and help our neighbors = we do this for Jesus. Matthew 25:40.
• We tell others about Jesus, so they can also become His children. Matthew 28:19, 20.
It really makes a difference whether we love Jesus or not. Without Jesus, we only think about ourselves. When Jesus looks into your heart, may He be able to say: “I know that this child really loves me and lives with me”! We wish that for all of you children!
–Jens and Ines Müller, Germany
