My wife Sandra and I are blessed to live in a Woodstock neighborhood with some of the nicest neighbors in the world. One particular family stands out.
When they moved into our neighborhood 13 years ago, they brightened our doorstep before we could brighten theirs. The husband barreled into our house like a long-lost best friend, and his wife followed with homemade chocolate chip cookies. From that moment on, we knew we had good neighbors and lifelong friends.
For a while, they tried to have a baby with no success. Then one evening, we learned they were expecting. Later that year, their daughter was born.
This baby girl is now nearly a teenager. Over the years, it has been inspiring to see how her parents have shaped her moral compass. For instance, this past Election Day, they drove past me at 6:15 a.m. while I was jogging. They slowed to ask if I was voting that day. It turned out they were on their way to vote as a family—a tradition they started years ago. Their daughter was going with them to experience both the thrill and the responsibility of casting a ballot.
This young lady is also remarkably in tune with helping others. Recently, we had missionaries on leave from Iraq staying in our home. One afternoon, I came in from work and found an envelope on the kitchen counter containing $34 and change. I asked Sandra where it came from. She explained that our neighbor’s daughter had brought the money over for our missionary friends. Each week, her parents have her set aside a portion of her allowance as “God money”—funds she can donate to any cause she feels strongly about. She had decided that our missionary friends needed her “God money” to help Syrian refugees.
Just last week, she rode up on a new bicycle, absolutely beaming. I commented to her parents about how excited she was to have a new bike. They explained that their daughter had to earn a large portion of the cost herself by saving her allowance and doing extra chores.
Character, compassion, and love for others aren’t learned through lectures, scolding, or reprimands. Children absorb what they see us do every day. Our actions leave lasting impressions and mold their values. As my Sunday school teacher often reminds us, “Very early on, kids stop listening to what we say and instead, they do what they see us do.”
I have a strong feeling that this young lady is destined to lead a mighty movement someday—perhaps as a missionary, a special needs teacher, or a pediatrician. One thing is certain: she is a living example of my grandmother’s favorite saying:
“As a twig is bent, so grows the tree.”
