Kaleb Klakulak, age 12, wanted to purchase a special Christmas gift for his best friend, Kenneth “K.J.” Gross.  Kaleb and K.J. had been buddies since before second grade.  Sadly, K.J. passed away this past May due to congestive heart failure caused by years of chemotherapy to fight leukemia.

K.J.’s long battle with leukemia left his family without enough money to purchase a headstone for his grave.  Kaleb decided that he wanted to work odd jobs to help raise money for a headstone for his best friend.  He began raking leaves, collecting aluminum cans, and soliciting donations on social media to help raise the required $2,500 for the headstone.

“I love Ms. San,” Kaleb told The Detroit News.   “Ms. San” is LaSondra “San” Singleton, K.J.’s mother.  “I was sad she couldn’t afford it.  I wanted people to be able to find (K.J.’s grave) when they went to see him.”

Due to his efforts and the generosity of others who heard of his benevolent quest, the money was raised and the grave marker was placed in honor of his friend.

Singleton said she’s overwhelmed by Kaleb’s actions and love for her son, even after his death.

All would agree: Kaleb was a great friend to K.J. and did a wonderful thing to honor him.

You and I have a Friend that gave us a tremendous gift that we desperately need.

We were dead in our sins (Ephesians 2:1-3) and on the path to eternal destruction (Matthew 7:13-14).

But God loves us so much that He gave His one and only Son to die on the cross for our sins (John 3:16).  His death was the propitiation, the atoning sacrifice, for our sins so that we might have forgiveness and receive the gift of eternal life (Ephesians 1:7; 1 John 4:9-10).

“This is how God showed His love among us: He sent His one and only Son into the world that we might live through Him.  This is love: not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins” (1 John 4:9-10).

Our Friend said, “Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one's life for his friends” (John 15:13).  Our Friend demonstrated that kind of love by giving His life for us so that we might live.

God will save from sin and give eternal life to those who place their faith and trust in Jesus (Acts 16:30-31), turn from their sins in repentance (Acts 17:30-31), confess Jesus before men (Romans 10:9-10), and are baptized (immersed) into Christ for the forgiveness of sins (Acts 2:38).  He will continue to cleanse from sin those who continue to walk in the light of His Word (1 John 1:7-9).

We receive the gift of our Friend’s atoning sacrifice when we accept it on His terms.  Jesus said, “You are My friends if you do whatever I command you” (John 15:14).

The best way we can honor our Friend is to accept His offer of salvation and eternal life and then live for Him for the rest of our lives.

Won’t YOU?

-- David A. Sargent

* Information gleaned from “Michigan boy, 12, rakes leaves to raise money for gravestone of friend who died of cancer” by Frank Miles of Fox News, www.foxnews.com

David A. Sargent, Minister

Church of Christ at Creekwood 
1901 Schillinger Rd. S.
Mobile, Alabama  36695

Archived issues of Living Water can be viewed and accessed from our website at: www.creekwoodcc.org