True Friends Love and Forgive

Keys for Kids Daily Devotional for December 20, 2007
TITLE: Best Friends
SCRIPTURE: Ephesians 4:30-32
AUDIO: listen here
THE STORY FOR TODAY:
Marcy really wanted to win the twenty dollar prize that would be given for the best costume in the Christmas parade. She was dressed as a giant gift. She wore a decorated refrigerator box her dad had brought home for her. It covered all but her feet, and two peepholes allowed her to see. There was a hinged window for throwing out candy to the people along the parade route. I wonder where Jill is, Marcy thought. She looked all around as she joined the other costumed students. She never would tell me how she'd be dressed, even though I let her see my costume.
"Hi! Is that you in there, Marcy?" Recognizing Jill's voice, Marcy slowly turned around to look through her peepholes. She almost bumped into . . . another box! Jill had a costume almost identical to her own! "I decided to surprise you so we could be the Boxy Twins," said Jill. "Aren't we magnificent?"
Marcy was furious! Jill copied my idea! she thought angrily. But the parade was beginning, so they marched off together. They awkwardly bowed before the judges, tossing candy to them, too. The judges laughed, and the audience cheered.
"We all agreed the two boxes were the best," said a judge when it was time to announce the winner, "but there is only one prize, so we're going to divide it among the two-each will get ten dollars." Marcy forced a smile, but she was fuming inside as she accepted her money. Not a word was said about whose idea the boxes had been.
"I'll never speak to Jill again!" declared Marcy when she told her mother how angry she was with Jill. "Why should she share in the prize?"
"Easy, honey," cautioned Mom. "You've been best friends for years. Don't be too hasty." She gave Marcy a hug. "Think about Jesus, your very best friend, for a moment," suggested Mom.
"What about Him?" asked Marcy. "He's not at all like Jill. He's never done anything wrong to me."
"But we've all wronged Him-you have, too," said Mom, "and still He forgave you, Marcy. That's the way He wants you to treat others."
Marcy was silent. "That's hard to do, Mom," she said finally, "but I will think about it. I promise."
MEMORY VERSE: If anyone has a complaint against another; even as Christ forgave you, so you also must do. Colossians 3:13
HOW ABOUT YOU? Do you find it hard to forgive someone who has wronged you? Would you generally rather get even with the person who offended you? That's human nature, but it isn't Jesus' nature. Aren't you glad He loves and forgives you? Being a true friend means forgiving when you've been wronged-and loving just the same.
THE KEY: True friends love and forgive