Zoo Trip and Simple Gifts

Last week I went to the zoo with Taylor and the whole K5. We were split up in pairs so that every kid was with an adult as we walked through the zoo. I had Taylor and another little boy by my side (plus a few other boys and their moms throughout the day).

We really have a great zoo in Montgomery. The exhibits are first class with elephants, monkeys, tigers, lions, river otters etc... The train is always a favorite with us as well.

This trip took us through the reptile house. Not usually my favorite place but I actually brought it up thinking that would be something popular with 5 year old boys.

As we walked through the room talking about all kinds of lizards, frogs and snakes the little boy with us mentioned that the devil was a snake and he tricked the woman. Well I said that yes the devil did trick the woman in the form of a snake, but she made the choice to listen to him instead of God. This conversation grew but always went back to the little boy saying that snakes were the devil. Now I'm not a fan of snakes but I was trying to get him to see that the devil wasn't just a snake and that we should never listen to his lies. Well my sweet 5 year old Taylor jumped in at this point.

Taylor said to his friend "Well you know what we really are? We're sheep and God is our shepherd." I had to pause a moment and think. Yes Taylor was right and you know what he did? He took the focus back to where it should be on God and not satan. I then finished up with yes God will take care of us and we need to listen to him and follow him to be safe.

Ok so that was almost a silly story. What's the big deal? Well I'm not very good at on the spot evangelism and here I was sweating over the questions from a 5 year old. But not Taylor. No he was just going along and told it like it was. Simple. The gospel is really simple isn't it. I'm glad Taylor is learning all of this and will be going to Malawi with me in case it comes up again. :) I learn so much from my kids.

Matthew, Mark and Luke all noted in their gospels that Jesus told the grownups to "let the little children come to me, for the kingdom of Heaven belongs to such as these." So why do I try to make things so complicated? God is not a God of confusion yet I let things get that way.

Praying that I don't try to take things into my own hands and make them complicated and crazy. God will take care of things if I let Him and He will guide me beside quiet streams to green pastures. Simply a great place to be.