Dear Partner,

Sue and I took our three-year-old grandson (Cole Mathew Hansen) to a pizza place named Chuck E. Cheese recently just to spend some time with him. In addition to having the kind of food young people like, for ten dollars you can purchase 40 tokens for the various games and rides they have there. Each game/ride only requires one token each, so for ten dollars there is hours of fun for somebody Cole's age (and for the grandparents enjoying him having fun). On some of the games you receive little tickets if you do well. You can turn in the tickets later and redeem them for various toys. Cole won enough to select a plastic, Superman wallet. He just loved it. But we thought an empty wallet would not do so we put a few dollars in it and some coins including a couple of quarters, some nickels and dimes. Cole was so proud of his new wallet. He showed it to everybody.

We took Cole home and later that evening he overheard his mother and father discussing a situation about a certain family. He could tell that what they were discussing was making them sad so he asked, "What's wrong?" His daddy said, "That family needs a lot of money." Cole's eyes widened with joy and he said with breathless excitement, "Daddy … I HAVE a lot of money!" He ran into his bedroom and brought back the little, plastic Superman wallet he had won earlier in the day. Cole said, "See daddy? See?" He began pulling out the few dollars and coins from the wallet to show his daddy and he said, "They can have this money." He was so happy that he had the answer to solve the problem. When Sue and I were told this story later that evening, I heard the Holy Spirit reminding me of this passage:

Mat 18:1-4   At the same time came the disciples unto Jesus, saying, Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven? And Jesus called a little child unto him, and set him in the midst of them, and said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven. Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven.

The purity and simplicity of a child's heart, where the vices of greed and fear-of-lack have not yet taken root … a heart that still trusts completely and whose greatest joy is to simply help somebody who is in need … No wonder Jesus said those who would humble themselves as a little child, the same are the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. Lord, help us all to have that simple, all trusting, childlike attitude of heart.

Sue and I love you and appreciate you. We thank God for your generous and giving heart. God bless you!

Your friend and co-laborer,

Gary Carpenter

Back « to the Resource page or on to the Next letter » Oct 2006