Sawyer and Emerald talked before bed that night. He was explaining to her why he wanted to give his money to the kids in Africa that he had seen in the pastor’s presentation. We have everything we want and need, he told her, and those kids don’t have anything. Emerald’s eyes widened at the thought of having nothing, and she nodded solemnly. He dug an envelope out of a desk drawer and put $53 inside. On the outside, he wrote in careful cursive, explaining in a note that he didn’t capitalize Pastor because he hasn’t yet learned how to write capital P’s at school.
At church the next morning, Sawyer presented the envelope, and the pastor led him to a table covered in pictures of little children from the home in Africa. He told Sawyer to choose one to give his money to. Sawyer chose a nine year old boy who likes to play soccer. He wants to be a doctor. He sings in the school choir. His smiling face graces our refrigerator, and each time I walk by it I’m reminded that there are some things about the Holy Spirit’s mysterious ways that we can see and understand. Like the gift of compassion. Of generosity. Like the way He can direct the desires of a tender heart so that God can take a nine year old Texas boy’s birthday money and feed a nine year old Ugandan boy for a month with it.
We stood in the kitchen and cried, Chad and I, when we realized that God was giving us an up close and personal view of the Spirit’s work right here in our house, within the heart of our freckle-faced middle child. I don’t want to miss it. God is working, right here, right now.
When Chad explained to the dear African pastor what had transpired in the past month with Sawyer’s birthday money, the pastor was moved. Oh! he said of Sawyer, while he raised his hands in praise, He has touched the heart of God!
I believe he’s right. And, I want to live in a state of expectation, just waiting eagerly to see what else the Spirit will do. Here in our house. Here in our town. Here in our world. Here in the hearts of my children. He is working.
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This article originally appeared at Your Mom Has a Blog.
