05/01/2022
Life-Pictures
Read: Acts 9:36-43
"See my picture!" Little Emily proudly showed Samantha a page of scribbled lines. Red, blue, green, and yellow streaks criss-crossed the picture of balloons.
"That's no good! Mom likes my pictures much better than yours," said Samantha proudly. "Yours are always a mess! You don't stay in the lines."
Emily's lips puckered, and big tear drops crept down her cheeks. "Mommy!" she wailed and ran to find her mother.
"Don't be a tattle-tale," Samantha called after her. She sighed as she took an orange crayon from the box and began to carefully color the stained glass window in a picture of a church. Now I suppose Mom will come and fuss at me just because I told Emily the truth, she thought. My pictures are much neater and prettier than hers, so why shouldn't I say so? Samantha looked critically at her coloring and chose another crayon to use. The picture was nearly finished when Mom walked into the room, holding Emily's hand.
"I came to see some pictures," said Mom. "Let me see what you colored today, Emily." The little girl found her picture and handed it to her mother. She beamed when Mom complimented her on the colors she has chosen.
Then Mom looked at Emily's picture. "This is very nicely done," said Mom. "The outlines of the pictures in your coloring book are boundaries, and you stayed in the lines very well as you colored.
Like you told Emily, a picture is prettier when you stay inside the lines." Samantha smiled and nodded as she glanced at Emily. "But I'm concerned about some other boundaries that we have in life - God's boundaries or rules," added Mom.
"When we obey His rules - like 'Be kind to one another's - it's as though we're making a pretty picture of our lives. When we go outside His boundaries, our 'life-pictures' don't look very pretty to others or to God." Mom looked at Samantha. "Do you think your words to Emily were within God's boundaries?"
"I . . . I guess not," Samantha mumbled, knowing she was wrong. "I don't think so, either," said Mom. "What can you do about it?" "Well, I . . . I'm sorry, Emily," said Samantha. She smiled at her little sister. "Would you like me to help you color another picture?" Emily nodded happily.
How does your "Life-Pictures" look?
Today's Scripture tells about Dorcas. An amazing part of her story is that God raised her back to life after she died. But the important lesson to remember is that your life, like hers, can be a "pretty picture," showing others what Jesus is like. She helped others; she made clothes for the poor; she was kind; her life pleased Jesus. Let His beauty be seen in you, too, as you stay within God's boundaries by being kind, cheerful, friendly, helpful - showing His love to others.
Key Verse: Ephesians 5:2
Walk in love, as Christ also has loved us.
