GABRIELLE

We just watched this for the first time the other day, but it's going to be one of my favorite episodes of Bonanza. 

It's not just because the little girl, Gabrielle, is so cute (kinda like Shirley Temple). She is, but she is also a good, mature, stable person in the midst of a lot of tragedies and hardships in her life. 

Gabrielle is contrasted with her grandfather who also experienced injustice in his life but allowed it to destroy him.

The thing that especially intrigues me is that the people responding to her and wanting to help her think what she needs is to be given things & have things done for her. She is constantly saying "I want to go where I'm needed." And her grandfather is the one who really needs her.

A huge secret of serving people is that it's not enough just to give to them or do for them. It's to understand that they want to be needed. They want to give. They want to serve. They want to do things.

Even with good intentions, we can do people a great injustice when we want to be the ones to do for them, because too much of that will disempower them.

One of the great things about the Gospel is that we come to know Jesus Christ we grow in our relationship with him, but not simply because of our need. We experience these blessings from God so that His grace can flow through us and meet the needs of others. 

But, it doesn't stop there. It then empowers them through the transforming power of the Gospel to pass it on to others.

I encourage you during this Christmas time watch this episode if you're able to look it up on YouTube or somewhere else. Then let the Lord take you where you're needed.