Keeper of the M&M’s
"Jerry, please keep looking at my eyes while I talk to you. What I am saying is very important. Its about your identity and your purpose. Your life matters. It matters so much to God! He took time to create you, to design you, to fill you with gifts and an amazing purpose. But to discover all these things, you must choose to follow Christ and practice love.”
I asked Jerry a question, “Do you remember who you are, the name God gave you?” Several months ago, the last time I was in India, God led me to give Jerry a name.
“I am the Keeper of the M&M’s.” He said this quietly.
“Yes that is true. God gave you that name the last time I was here. And to be The Keeper of the M&M’s, you need some M&M’s.” I reached into my backpack and handed Jerry a jumbo bag of M&M’s which made him smile.
“Jerry, these are yours. You can choose to do with them whatever you want. You are the steward of them. You could choose to hide them and eat them all, or you could choose to remember who you are, and live in that truth. If you live in that truth, what will you do with the M&M’s?”
“I will give many away”, was his reply.
“Yes, that is true. And does that strengthen your heart when you obey God?”
“Yes, it feels good”.
“You are not a weak and powerless boy. You are also not a boy created to use your power to bully others. You were created to share, to show kindness to others and when you do this, your own heart grows and matures and you become strong in your spirit.”
I encouraged Jerry to choose to live in the truth of who God created him to be. The other children were waiting so Jerry and I went to them. I began to share some stories with the children and then asked Jerry if there was anything he wanted to do. He replied, “yes”, and began to pass out the M&M’s as I continued to teach about love through stories.
I then told the children about Jerry’s name - The Keeper of the M&M’s. “Jerry has been given this name by God. Its a very special name because it reminds Jerry of what he is suppose to do. He is called to share, to not horde what God gives but to be generous.”
I asked the kids a question. “What does it make you feel when Jerry chooses to obey God and live in the truth, that he is the Keeper of the M&M’s”?
“It feels great because we get M&M’s. It makes us happy. It makes us joyful. Takes away sadness.” I wanted the kids to see how Jerry's obedience impacted them positively! When we live in the truth of who God created us to be, beautiful things happen in our lives and in the lives of others also.
Today consider your own identity. Who are you? What do you need to choose to do today in order to live in the truth of who you are? Maybe you need to repent to God and others because you have not been living in the truth of who you are. Take time to do that today.
