There once was a group of children who were friends and who played together.  While on vacation from school one day, they were wondering just what to do.

“I know,” Johnny said, “let’s ride our bikes.”

“Oh, we rode bikes yesterday,” said Sally.

Then Janice spoke up, “Let’s see if we could play a trick on mean old Mr. Brown.”

“Oh, no, that wouldn’t be right!” said Johnny.  “My mom said that he only seems mean because he has a lot of pain in his lame leg.  It would be cruel to play tricks on him.”

The children were quiet for a long while thinking.  Suddenly Janice jumped up, “I know!  What if we play good tricks?”

“What do you mean good tricks?” the others asked.

“Well, we could do something nice and nobody would know who did it.”  Janice continued.

“Hey, yes!” Judy exclaimed.  “It could be like a mystery, and we could leave a little note with a surprise message!”

“It could be like a club.  What will we call it?”  Sally asked.

“How about ‘The Surprise Package Company’?”  Peter joined in.

“Hey, way cool!” the others agreed.

And so “The Surprise Package Company” was born.  The children began to think about things that they could do to be helpful and kind.  “You know little Georgie has been in the house sick with the mumps.  Let’s make up a little gift for him, put a “The Surprise Package Company” card on it, and leave it at his door.  We’ll knock and run away, and his mom will find it.”  So they each went home to search for some little toy or book to give to little Georgie.  Soon they were back.  One had a box of nearly new crayons.  One had a coloring book.  Sally had some stickers.  They put the things into a little box and wrapped it with a piece of left over birthday wrap.  Janice made the card as she could print real neat.  Then they delivered the box and watched from behind a bush as Georgie’s mom picked it up and, smiling, took it inside the house.

The next afternoon they pulled the weeds out of a neighbor’s garden, and they left a “The Surprise Package Company” card right where the neighbor would see it.

The more they did good tricks, the more projects they thought of.  They were having so much fun making other people happy!  They took flowers from their gardens to an elderly lady and left them where she would find them.  They put some money together and bought a few cookies to take to mean old Mr. Brown, and saw him smile as he read the card.

One day, they got a surprise!  Someone had been watching them as they went about doing their good tricks, and one day they each received an invitation to a lovely picnic.  The invitations were addressed to: “The Surprise Package Company”!

When we help others, we make ourselves happy!  That is how God’s universe was set up, so everyone would help others, and no one ever would be selfish.  I invite you to try doing some good tricks!