What A Little Princess Taught Me (2)

"If I was a princess-a real princess," she murmured, "I could scatter largess to the populace. But even if I am only a pretend princess, I can invent little things to do for people. Things like this. She was just as happy as if it was largess. I'll pretend that to do things people like is scattering largess. I've scattered largess." - Sara, just after spending time with and giving a piece of cake to the scullery maid, Becky.

Only one other book has so affected me, and that is The Phantom Tollbooth. I see the world much as Sara Crewe; almost as if I am many different characters, depending on the day.

If I was a princess, would I scatter "largess"? More importantly, even though I am not a princess, and do not have great wealth...do I still do the same? Gifts needn't be only monetary, or even physical. I can give a smile, I can give an encouragement, I can give a laugh on a rainy day.

It seems the little things are just as important - perhaps even more so - as the big things. Spending time with someone, listening to and talking to them, encouraging, working on things together...

"Sara opened the paper bag and took out one of the hot buns, which had already warmed her own cold hands a little.
'see,' she said, putting the bun in the ragged lap, 'this is nice and hot. Eat it, and you will not feel so hungry.'
The child started and stared up at her, as if such sudden, amazing good luck almost frightened her; then she snatched up the bun and began to cram it into her mouth with great wolfish bites.
'Oh, my! Oh, my!' Sara heard her say hoarsely, in wild delight. 'Oh, my!'
Sara took out three more buns and put them down.
The sound in the hoarse, ravenous voice was awful.
'She is hungrier than I am,' she said to herself. 'She's starving.' But her hand trembled when she put down the fourth bun. 'I'm not starving,' she said -and she put down the fifth." - Of Sara, now a beggar herself, giving away all but one bun she bought fresh and hot from the bakery.

“One who is faithful in a very little is also faithful in much, and one who is dishonest in a very little is also dishonest in much." Luke 16:10

I want to be one of the faithful, in little or in much. :-)

(Read further: Part 1 and Part 3)