Day 1: Love is to put others above ourselves - 1 February 2019
Theme for February: Salt and Light
By Benescke Janse van Rensburg
Stories of people helping others despite their own inconvenience, touches my heart every time. Earlier this week, I read one such a story. . .
On his way to a cycling practice, 10-year-old Vaughn and his mother Mandy stopped at a petrol station in Gillitts to fill up. Like always, petrol attendant, Tony Antonio, came over to have a chat with mom and son. Seeing Vaughn’s bike on the car’s roof, Tony asked Vaughn to look out for him for a second-hand bike. Even though Tony jogged the 6km in the morning to work and back home in the evenings, his knees started to give him problems. He needed a bike.
That evening at home, Vaughn took out his collection of "silver coins" he collected over a period of time. He started collecting it to take his mother on a holiday. Counting it, he asked his mother if she really wanted to go on holiday, because he was thinking of rather helping Tony.
Mandy tells how Vaughn then planned everything on his own. He saved up and last week was able to buy and hand over a brand new bike to Tony. Of course, Tony couldn't believe his eyes. He afterwards said that it was the last thing he ever expected – especially from a 10-year-old! (See link to picture at bottom)
In Philippians 2: 3-4, we read: “Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.”
As a mother myself, I can imagine how proud Mandy must have been for this unselfish act from her son. But, we all can learn from Vaughn. It is not in our words, but our actions that we demonstrate God’s love to a broken world.
The theme for this month is SALT and LIGHT. Jesus said we should be light to the world and salt to the earth. May I challenge you to keep your eyes open and find at least one person this month to be good to. Something small to you, might have a radical impact on someone else's life. Let's be SALT and LIGHT and see the world change around us. God bless.
Father God, thank you for Your love towards me. Guide me through your Spirit to be salt and light to the people around me. I ask this in the Name of Jesus Christ. Amen.
Photo: See photo of Vaughn and Tony on social media at:
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