The King's Christmas List by Eldon Johnson is a wonderful addition to any children's library. As a mother of three young children, I am constantly hunting for stories that will reinforce good character traits and Biblical values in their lives. This story is based on Matthew 25:40 "The King will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.' (NIV) We are always asking our children to share but it is a very different to teach them the concept of sacrificial giving. This story does an excellent job of putting this value into a delightful and age-appropriate tale.
Emma is just a young girl but she and her dog Shu-Shu are invited to a royal Christmas celebration for the King. They prepare a special gift to take to the King and then set off on the journey. Along the way, they meet with other people who are in need. On her own, Emma gives away things that are very special to her. She is sacrificial in her giving and surprised that each person thanks her by name. When she arrives at the castle, she sees that everyone is giving gifts to each other and not to the King on His birthday. The King explains that to give Him a gift you have to serve others.
During the season of Christmas, it's easy to get sidetracked from the true purpose. This holiday story is a great way to share with children where true joy can be found and open up discussion about giving and service for our King.
0 comments:
Post a Comment