There are 34,000 species of spiders in America, and this time of year, a disturbing number of them decide it’s time to crawl from the backyard into your home. Hence, our daughter’s appointment with an exterminator. The pest control industry will pardon three-year-old, Sadie, for labeling the guy who showed up at her door as "Bug Guy."
If Bug Guy was on a mission, so was Sadie. The moment he stepped inside their home, she got right to it. "Hey, Bug Guy, do you love Jesus?" Sadie giggled, but the man offered no reply as he clomped down the stairs. Sadie was undeterred and hiked down right after him. Cranking up the volume so he couldn't possibly fail to hear, she projected with slow deliberation, "Bug guy—DO/YOU/ LOVE/ JESUS?" He sweetly ignored her and got to work.
I wondered when was the last time that anybody asked him a question like that. Maybe this was the first! Who knows?
Can you think of a more important question to ask someone than that—Do you love Jesus? I can’t. Think of the seed Sadie may have planted, just by speaking up.
Some might argue we ought instead to ease into a conversation about spiritual things. Or take the time to build a bridge. Or first, address a "felt need."
But Bug Guy's visit was short, so Sadie got right to the point. Now, if a three-year-old can do that, then why can’t we?
P.S. If you enjoy the frank honesty of kids and their conversations, pick up a copy of Kids Say the Wisest Things. It’s filled with stories like this one—and (amazingly) makes a great Christmas gift, too! Available at Amazon and Christianbook.com.