MAY 26, 1 Thessalonians 5:18

Jared sighed as he pushed the door open, pulled the key out, and put it in his pocket. He swung the door shut and turned the lock. “Tony’s mom is home baking cookies, but I have to cook my own Maggi noodles,” he said out loud. He talked to himself a lot when he was alone. That way the apartment didn’t seem so empty. “I wish I had a pet.” Jared continued to mumble as he did his chores. Soon he heard his mother at the door. “Hi, honey, how was school?” she asked as she entered the room.

“Okay.” Jared didn’t look up. “Thanks for getting the noodles done. It smells good, and I guess you must have added eggs and chicken slices.” There was no reply from Jared. She looked at Jared closely. “Is something wrong?” she asked. Jared shook his head. “Are you sure?” asked Mom. She paused on her way toward the stove. “I can tell something’s bothering you. Let’s talk about it, okay?” She put down a dish and hugged Jared.

Soon Jared was telling Mom all his troubles–especially how he hated coming home to an empty house. Mom sighed. “We talked about this before, and you know I have to work,” she said. “I’d rather be home, but I have no choice. I wish you could have a pet, but the landlord won’t allow it. Jared, you have something many of your friends don’t have. You have Jesus,” she reminded him. “That’s more important than anything else in the world. When we have to do without things we want, I think it helps to remind ourselves of what we do have.” Mom picked up a pen and paper. “Let’s make a list of good things we enjoy,” she suggested. “I’ll start. Let’s see... we have a place to live.” “And clothes,” Jared added. Mom wrote it down. “You can go to school, and I have a job,” she said. “What else?”

“Friends.” Jared started to smile. “We have a church where we can worship God,” added Mom. “We can go to the doctor when we’re sick,” suggested Jared. Mom nodded. “And right now we’re both healthy,” she said. “I’ll write that down, too.” Jared sniffed the air. He grinned. “We have our Maggi noodles,” he said. “Let’s set the table. I’m hungry!”

Thought: Do your friends have something you wish you had? Instead of thinking of those things, make a list of what you have. Learn to be content in your circumstances, and thank God for them.

Prayer: Heavenly Father, help me to be thankful in every circumstance of my life. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.