Lessons from a Yellow Balloon

Monday morning's ear-to-ear grin was a direct result of a little boy's incredible unselfishness Sunday evening!

After the church service they were giving left over balloons from a baby shower to the children in the foyer. Peter and Hannah were each one of the blessed recipients, and they eagerly held on to them as they headed out to the van with laughter and huge grins.

Unfortunately, as I turned to open the door, Peter's balloon slipped from his grasp and floated away. Surprisingly, as I picked him up, he didn't cry, but he just watched it float away with a rather sad, puzzled expression as if he was wondering what had happened and when Mommy was going to get it back. As we stood there helplessly waving bye-bye to the blue balloon, a little six-year-old boy who had watched it happen came over and offered Peter his yellow balloon. Of course I said thank you, but then told him it was okay and he could keep his balloon. And he immediately with a big, genuine smile said some of the sweetest words I've ever heard, "But I want to give it to him." WOW! I nearly cried!

What a lesson in kindness for our whole family, particularly my nearly four-year-old who would definitely not be so ready to give up her balloon for a younger child at this point. And what a challenge for us as parents to be laying the foundations of kindness and unselfishness that they'd be so ready to share with someone else. And what a lesson for me personally . . . how often do I really want to show kindness, or am I just doing it because I know I'm supposed to???

"Be ye kind one to another."

Ephesians 4:32