Dee and the Dandelions

[bluidkiti]

TITLE: Dee and the Dandelions

SCRIPTURE: Psalm 19:12-14

THE STORY FOR TODAY:

"There goes Morgan-that new girl," said Dee to her friends at recess. "She dresses funny! I saw her dad pick her up at school yesterday. He has a big scar on his face and looks like a criminal."

"What do you think he did?"asked Grace.

Dee shrugged. "Who knows? Robbed a bank maybe."

As Dee slid into her seat, she heard Grace whisper to Pam, "Don't play with Morgan-her dad's a bank robber."

The rumor flew and grew until nearly everyone in the class was whispering about Morgan and avoiding her. A little voice in Dee's heart said, Dee, what have you done? But she tried not to listen.

When Dee got home, she sprawled on the lawn to enjoy the sunshine. She saw a dandelion that had gone to seed, so she picked it and blew on it. The seeds floated off into the air like dozens of tiny parachutes. "Oh dear!" said Mom, who had come out with a glass of lemonade for Dee. "Those little seeds are going to take root and become more pesky dandelions! You better go pick them back up."

"Oops!" said Dee. "Sorry, but there's no way I can pick them up again. They're gone for good!"

Mom sat down in a lawn chair. "Well, if you hadn't blown them, the wind would have," she said. Then she added thoughtfully, "Those little seeds always remind me of words. Once we've said words, they're gone for good, too. The good ones bring happiness and help to people, and the unkind ones bring sorrow." Dee squirmed as she remembered what she had said about Morgan's father. "Before we say unkind things about anyone," continued Mom, "we should ask ourselves, 'Is what I'm about to say true? Is it helpful to anybody? Would God be pleased to hear me say it?'"

The little nagging voice of Dee's conscience seemed to be shouting now. Her words about Morgan's father had certainly been neither kind nor pleasing to God. They probably weren't even true! Dee got up to make some phone calls. She knew she could never entirely take back those words, but she had to try her best to undo what she had done.

MEMORY VERSE:

Set a guard, O Lord, over my mouth; keep watch over the door of my lips. Psalm 141:3

HOW ABOUT YOU?
What kind of words do you speak? Are they true? Kind? Pleasing to God? Do they build, or do they destroy? Before you talk about other kids-or anyone-do you consider how your words will affect either the person you're speaking to or the one you're speaking about? Don't thoughtlessly blurt out anything that pops into your head. Ask God to help you speak only kind and helpful words.

THE KEY: Speak kind words
Keys for Kids Daily Devotional