The Persuasive Little Saint and the Unconvinced Angel

The skeptical angel was innocently bouncing on the bright yellow chair one day when the persuasive little saint saw his chance. After all, his darling kid sister was acting like a heathen, and it was up to the older, wiser one to point out the error of her ways. What followed was a conversation that went something like this:

“Kylie, there’s gonna come a sad, sad day when you’re going to die. But it’s not going to be too sad because, well, maybe in a few days you’ll go to heaven.”

“Why do I have to die?”

“Cause, Kylie, you have to die before you can go to heaven. See, you’re going to die, and they’ll bury you in the ground, and then -”

“But I don’t want to die.”

“Kylie, you have to die. That’s the only way you can go to heaven. Kylie, you need to go to heaven.”

“I don’t need to.”

“Yes, you do. Cause otherwise you have to go to hell. You have to go to hell if you don’t go to heaven.”

“I don’t care.”

“Yes, you do, Kylie. You don’t want to go to hell.”

“I don’t care. I don’t want to die.”

“But you have to die first. You have to die to go to heaven. There’s no way you’re going to be able to go before you die.”

“But I don’t want to die.”

And so, in the end, the persuasive little saint was forced to abdicate all attempts and move out until the next opportune moment. And the unconvinced angel was left to bounce unaccosted on her bright yellow chair.

And that is a fairly typical conversation in the lives of my nephew and niece, aged 5 and 3 respectively.

Robin Hood

Over the last couple months, I have been keeping myself busy directing a play. I had the idea one day in January, and shortly thereafter read a book where a young Scottish man did something similar, so I know I am not the first! Here in Central City, we are getting ready for an early June performance of the play Robin Hood with 16 local youth participating. We will be using the local elementary gym, and all proceeds from the play will go towards a gift for the children in Rwanda and Uganda. Directing on a larger scale than I have before has proved a bit of a challenge, although I am greatly enjoying it. However, it has also brought to the forefront of my mind the necessity of looking to God for guidance in no less than everything.

I have become fully convinced over the years in the power of God to answer when His children pray. Not only this, but the power that those of us who are His children hold when we come before our Father and plead on another’s behalf. All other work, without prayer, is really quite useless. As it says in Psalms, “Unless the Lord builds the house, its builders labor in vain. Unless the Lord watches over the city, the watchmen stand guard in vain. In vain you rise early and stay up late, toiling for food to eat - for He grants sleep to those He loves.”

The youth who are volunteering their time to help in this venture could most definitely use something as practical as sleep. They are shockingly busy and have more commitments than energy, it seems. Moreover, we are seeking to build, not on our own foundation, but on the foundation of Christ. With God as the Master Builder - with His hand guiding all we do - we seek no glory but His.

It is with this in mind that we ask you to pray for us as we step forward in this task. Already we have faced joys and struggles, hardships and blessings, and there is more to come. We plan to perform the play June 8-10, and there is much work to be done before then! What will come next, I do not know. God knows. It is enough to follow one step at a time in the footsteps of Him who leads astoundingly well.

Anyone seeking more information about the play and all it entails is welcome to go to www.heartofthesong.webs.com. And if you happen to find yourselves in our town in early June, please come and enjoy the show!