Reader's Digest

The Hand

From the editors of Reader's Digest comes this true and inspiring story:

When Mrs. Klein told her first graders to draw a picture of something for which they were thankful,
she thought how little these children, who lived in a deteriorating neighborhood, actually had to be
thankful for. She knew that most of the class would draw pictures of turkeys or of bountifully
laden Thanksgiving tables. That was what they believed was expected of them.

What took Mrs. Klein aback was Douglas's picture. Douglas was so forlorn and likely to be found
close in her shadow as they went outside for recess. Douglas's drawing was simply this: a hand.

A hand, obviously, but whose hand? The class was captivated by his image. "I think it must be the
hand of God that brings us food," said one student.

"A farmer," said another, "because they grow the turkeys."

"It looks more like a policeman, and they protect us." "I think," said Lavinia, who was always so
serious, "that it is supposed to be all the hands that help us, but Douglas could only draw one of
them."

Mrs. Klein had almost forgotten Douglas in her pleasure at finding the class so responsive. When
she had the others at work on another project, she bent over his desk and asked whose hand it was.

Douglas mumbled, "It's yours, Teacher."

Then Mrs. Klein recalled that she had taken Douglas by the hand from time to time; she often did
that with the children. But that it should have meant so much to Douglas.

Perhaps, she reflected, this was her Thanksgiving, and everybody's Thanksgiving - not the material
things given unto us, but the small ways that we give something to others.*

From the hand of God comes every good and perfect gift (James 1:17).

"For the LORD is the great God,
And the great King above all gods.
In His hand are the deep places of the earth; The heights of the hills are His also.
The sea is His, for He made it;
And His hands formed the dry land."
-- Psalm 95:3-5

Our salvation and the gift of eternal life is a gift from the hands of God, for Jesus, God's Son,
had nails driven through His hands and His feet onto the cross where He died for your sins and mine.
"He Himself bore our sins in His body on the tree, so that we might die to sins and live for
righteousness; by His wounds you have been healed" (1 Peter 2:24 NIV).

God will save and give eternal life to those who place their faith and trust in Jesus (Acts
16:30-31), turn from their sins in repentance (Acts 17:30-31), confess Jesus before men (Romans
10:9-10), and are baptized (immersed) into Christ for the forgiveness of sins (Acts 2:38). God will
continue to cleanse from sin those who continue to walk in the light of His Word (1 John 1:7-9).

How much does God love us? Look at what His hands have done for us.

Won't YOU accept His offer of salvation and eternal life on His terms?

-- David A. Sargent

* From "This Teacher's Story Will MAKE Your Thanksgiving,"
https://www.rd.com/true-stories/inspiring/thanksgiving-story/

David A. Sargent, Minister