The Unwasted Peach

Read: Psalm 126:1-6 “I met a new friend today, Daddy. She gave me her peach!” Charity reported gleefully. She grabbed her dad’s hand as they walked to their new apartment from her bus stop. “Your first day at a new school, and already a new friend? Awesome!” Daddy answered. “Tell me about your friend—and this peach.” Charity skipped to keep up with Daddy’s long legs. “Slow down, Daddy, and I’ll tell you!” Immediately Daddy shortened his stride. “Her name’s Esther. She gets free lunch in the cafeteria like me! But Esther doesn’t like peaches. When I asked for the one on her tray, she gave it to me. I couldn’t let it go to waste!” They climbed the steps to their apartment. Daddy laughed. “I know you like canned peaches. We have a couple of cans from the food bank. That can be today’s snack.” Daddy opened the apartment door. “God answered two prayers for you today, Charity—for a good day at a new school, and for a friend.” Charity took off her school shoes and exchanged them for soft slippers. “You told me when I gave my life to Jesus last year that I could talk to Him anytime, about anything. He heard me, Daddy!” Daddy pulled out a can opener. “He also showed us something important with Esther’s peach.” “He did?” “Yep. Even though Esther doesn’t like peaches, you didn’t want good food to be wasted. Sometimes we go through hard times, and even though we don’t like those struggles, God isn’t willing to let them go to waste.” “God wants us to struggle?” Charity sounded confused. “No, but He brings good out of difficult times. Jesus went through the most difficult thing of all when He died on the cross, and He did that to do the best thing we could ever imagine—save us from sin and make us God’s children. And He promises to use hard things in our lives for good.” “Like having to say goodbye to old friends and leaving our old neighborhood?” Charity asked. Daddy nodded. “God understands how hard that is, and we can trust Him to bring something good out of it. Like today when He brought you a new friend.” Charity smiled. “And something else!” “What?” Daddy placed a bowl of juicy peaches on the table. “More peaches!” –Allison Wilson Lee How about you? Have you ever gone through tough times and wondered why God let it happen? We don’t always get answers to our “why” questions, but we can trust God in hard situations. God loves His children, and He’s good to us. He won’t let our struggles go to waste. He’ll bring something good out of sad circumstances as we grow in trusting Him. Today’s key verse: Those who sow with tears will reap with songs of joy. Psalm 126:5 (NIV) Today’s key thought: God brings good from hard times