AUGUST 18, Philippians 2:15, 16

“Hey, Carla! I need your help!” Abby called to her older sister. “For what?” Carla asked from her bedroom. She put her Bible down, walked to Abby’s open door, and saw her sister on a ladder in the middle of her room. “Come and help me put these glow-in-the-dark stars on my ceiling,” Abby said. “Please?”

“I can’t. I’m working on an assignment for my Sunday school class,” replied Carla. “I need to think of an object lesson that will teach a principle found in the Bible, and I haven’t gotten very far.”

“I’ll help you later if you’ll help me now!” Abby pleaded. “I need help.” “Well, all right,” agreed Carla, so she went in and joined her sister.

The girls had fun peeling the backs off the stars, climbing on the stepladder, and sticking the stars on the ceiling, one by one. They chatted together as they worked. “My friend, Ming, has the same kind of stars on the ceiling in her room,” Abby said. “They are so cool! I wonder what makes them glow.”

“I don’t know exactly,” replied Carla. “All I know is they’re made of material that absorbs light-like when there’s daylight or you have the light on in your room. Then when you turn off your light, they shine all by themselves!” “Yeah, so let’s try them,” said Abby as she smoothed the last one onto the ceiling. Carla nodded, and the girls pulled down the shades, shut the door, and turned off the light. “Oh-h-h!” exclaimed Ava. “Awesome!”

“Worth the work!” said Carla. “And now I have to go finish my report. Don’t forget to come and help me as soon as you put away the ladder and stuff.” She turned to leave the room, then stopped. “Hey, Abby,” added Carla with a smile, “I know what object lesson I can use for Sunday school. Your stars! They need to be in the light for a while and take it in so they can shine when it’s dark. It’s the same with Christians. We need to take in the light of Jesus by spending time in prayer and Bible study so we can shine for Him!”

“Hey! That makes a good object lesson!” Abby exclaimed. “See, Carla, I helped you already!”

Thought: Do you realize that if you’re a Christian, you should also glow in the dark-that you should be a light in a world that’s dark with sin?

Prayer: Heavenly Father, as I spend time in prayer and Bible study, I’ll learn more about Jesus and how to be like Him. And then perhaps, I can be like one of those stars mentioned in today’s story! Help me Heavenly Father, for this is my plea in Jesus’ name, Amen.