Summary: "Mom, may I have an advance on my allowance?" asked Lily one day. "An advance?" repeated Mom. "What do you need it for?" Lily took a deep breath. "I can't tell you," she said. "It's a secret." "The last time you asked for money and didn't want to tell me why," said Mom, "you had hit a softball through Mr. Grimes' window." "I haven't broken anything, Mom. Honest! Please trust me," pleaded Lily. "It's for a good reason, but I want to keep it between me and God." Mom looked at Lily thoughtfully. Then she asked how much Lily needed, got her purse, and gave Lily the money. "This is a large advance," said Mom. "Remember . . . it comes out of your allowance." Lily nodded and tried not to think about all the things she'd be giving up. Instead, she thought about her friend and classmate Susan. Their class was studying sea life, and the teacher had arranged for them to visit an aquarium in a nearby town. The school had no money to buy tickets for the students, and so the trip was not required. Those who wanted to go had to pay their own way. Permission slips and money had been coming in for several days, but not from Susan. Her dad had been laid off at the factory, and there was no extra money at Susan's house. The next morning, Lily arrived at school early. Her classroom was empty. Heart racing, she walked quickly to Susan's desk and slid an envelope containing the money into Susan's math book. Lily had written on the envelope, "Field trip. Don't guess who. Just get your parents' permission." Susan will find it soon, she thought. We always have math first thing in the morning. The bell rang, and Lily went quickly to her desk and kept one eye on the door. Susan soon came in with several other kids. She went to her desk and pulled out her math book. Finding Lily's envelope, she opened it. Her eyes grew big. Her mouth fell open. Lily giggled and turned her attention back to the math problem at hand. Please, God, she prayed, please don't let her ever find out it was me. How About You? Have you ever done something nice for someone--without telling anybody? This week ask God to show you someone who needs your help, and then give it in a way that only you and God will ever know who it was. It's the kind of giving God wants you to do. And guess what else? It's a lot of fun! Today's Key Verse: Take heed that you do not do your charitable deeds before men, to be seen by them. (Matthew 6:1) Today's Key Thought: Give secretly
