The Cross on My Radio Knob

Sometimes a small gift is enough to remind us of what matters, and God uses it in ways we do not expect, often through the kindness of a child.

Sundays in Children’s Church are loud, messy at times, joyful and chaotic, and each week my prayer is that the kids are learning at least one thing, something they can use at this time in their life and a truth that will guide them throughout their lives.

For several Sundays, we had been talking about sharing our gifts, about kindness, and about using what God has given us to show love and care for others. One Sunday, one of the girls came into class carrying a box and showed me that she had made crosses for every single kid. There were more than thirty of them, each one crocheted in a different color, and as she passed them out, I watched the kids smile and carefully choose the one they liked.

As I watched her, I was reminded of the that each of us has received a gift and we are called to use it to serve (help) others. She did not make those crosses to be noticed or praised. She made them because she wanted to give, and in that simple act I saw the lessons we had been talking about come to life in the most real way.

I hung the cross on my radio knob in our truck because I knew the time and care it took her to make every single one of those crosses. At first, it was simply a way to honor that gift and the thought behind it, a quiet reminder of how intentional her kindness was.

But over time, it has become more than that. In the middle of busy days and everyday drives, that small cross has begun to remind me to slow down and choose kindness in how I respond to others, to be more patient, to give more grace and love, and it often brings to mind the truth; that it is more blessed to give than to receive.

Every time I get into the truck, I notice that cross. It gently pulls my thoughts back to Jesus and the love He’s given me. I think about what He did for me on the cross, about how He loved me even when I was still a sinner. And I’m reminded how God uses small, thoughtful gifts to shape our hearts in ways we don’t always expect.