Speaking Up for Alli

Read: Romans 12:4-8 Dallon grinned when he saw the mascot of his favorite baseball team coming toward them near the stadium entrance. “Look, Alli!” he said. But Dallon’s excitement turned to anger when the mascot gave him a high five but didn’t even acknowledge Alli. “Hey,” he called after him, “you didn’t talk to my sister!” His aunt touched his arm. “Let’s go inside.” Dallon and his aunt walked toward the stadium, his mom pushing his sister’s chair in front of them. “That was so rude,” said Dallon. “Alli loves him. That’s why Mom brought us to the game today. How could he just go past her like that? It’s like he didn’t even see her.” “He doesn’t know your sister like you do,” his aunt said. “He didn’t realize she was interested in him.” “She was moving around like she does when she’s excited,” Dallon said. “If she could talk, she would have been yelling out to him.” “He didn’t know the way she was moving meant she was excited. You knew that because you know your sister; that makes you the perfect person to speak up for her.” Dallon’s mom turned toward them, holding out their tickets. “We can all use our voices to speak up for Alli and those like her,” she said. “We know things others don’t because we’ve spent a lot of time with her. God can use us to change how others see her.” “But we need to be patient,” Dallon’s aunt said. “We’ve had a lot of time to get to know Alli and all that makes her unique, but others haven’t. God has blessed us by putting her in our family, but others only spend a short amount of time with her.” They made their way into the crowded stadium. “It’s great that you’re willing to speak up for your sister.” Dallon’s aunt put an arm around his shoulders. “It shows the love you have for her, and it helps others see that God loves her too.” Dallon looked around. He didn’t see a single person in a chair like Alli’s or who seemed similar to her. He nodded slowly. In Sunday school he had learned about the unique gifts God gave to different people that reflected Jesus’s love, and maybe speaking up for his sister was part of his. –Emily Acker How about you? Has God given you a gift that allows you to look out for others in a special way? Perhaps it’s speaking up for those who can’t speak for themselves, or encouraging others when they’re feeling down, or being a friend to those who need one. God gives spiritual gifts to everyone who trusts in Jesus so we can reflect His love to others in our own unique way. Trust Him to help you use your gift to show others His love. Today’s key verse: As each one has received a gift, minister it to one another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God. 1 Peter 4:10 (NKJV) Today’s key thought: Use your gift to help others