One day, just before leaving school, a boy brought his mother a list. It was a bill for services rendered. “For mowing the lawn, $2. For emptying the trash, $2. For cleaning my room, $2. For doing the dishes this week, $2. Mama, you owe me $8.”
When he got back home after school, the boy received the eight dollars and along with the payment a “bill” from his mom. It read: “For carrying you nine months, with all the accompanying inconvenience and nausea, $0. For cooking three meals a day for fifteen years, $0. For working overtime to buy you those new sneakers you love so much, $0. For losing sleep and wages when I had to stay home with you after you broke your leg, $0. Son, you owe me—nothing.”
“Son, you owe me—nothing.”
Looking over the piece of paper, the boy recognized the price his mother had paid, and he offered to give back the money in response to the goodness of his mother.
Our problem sometimes is that we’ve grown accustomed to the kindness and love of Jesus.
We’ve forgotten all that He has done for us.
We’ve forgotten all that He has done for us. That He laid down His life for us at no charge, purely out of love and a desire for us to be in relationship with God. We’ve forgotten how freely He offers Himself to us, even though we don’t do the same thing in return. We’ve forgotten how good He really is.
When you really recognize God’s goodness, you want to serve Him. When you think about all He has given—and continues to give—serving Him becomes a passion, an opportunity and a privilege.
