Bowie Learns About Redemption [Little Lights: Short Stories to Help Children Learn About God and the Bible]
The fall leaves crumbled under the feet of Bowie and Bagley, her 2 year old beagle. “Bagley there’s no snacks under this leaf pile either” Bowie said as she gave a gentle tug on the dog's leash. Bagley broke free and dove nose first into another leaf pile that was three times her size. “Bagley, we are going to be late!” Bowie and her dog were heading back home from the store carrying the butter, tea, and apples for her mom and dad. To Bowie’s surprise, Bagley resurfaced with a smile. “What do you have in your mouth?” Bowie said laughing. Bagley managed to find a half eaten peanut butter cookie. “Why was that under the leaves? And what if someone was saving it for later”? Bagley gave a somewhat grumpy bark, as if it say “finders keepers”
Just then a loud siren rang out across the street. The doors of the bank burst open and a short man with a big mustache ran out holding 2 large bags of money. “We’ve been robbed, we’ve been robbed!” Yelled a lady pointing her finger at the robber. “Oh no!” Yelled Bowie. “That bank robber is getting away with all the money!” Bagley pulled her leash out of Bowie’s hands and began chasing the bank robber. Her little doggy feet ran as fast as they could until she was just within inches of catching the bank robber until something caught her eye and distracted her. Suddenly Bagley turned and dove into another pile of leaves.
Bowie, out of breath, finally caught up to Bagley who was just exiting the leaf pile. She was chewing on something and stared nervously at Bowie. “Bagley?! Did you find another cookie under there?” Just then the bank robber passed Bowie and Bagley heading the opposite direction. He was being chased by a police officer. The bank robber started to get tired from all the running. “I give up! Here” he said as he dropped the bags of money and held his hands up high.
The news station showed up just as the police officer was putting the bank robber in handcuffs. The anchor woman put a microphone in the bank robber's face. “Sir, why did you rob the bank?” The lady from the bank huffed and puffed as she picked up the bags of money and began marching back into the bank. “Well. I just really wanted money. I guess I don’t really have an excuse besides that.” The police car drove away as the news anchor finished her story. “Well there you have it folks. The bank robber was caught in the very act, and now will have to pay for what he’s done”
Pay he certainly did. He began to cry loudly as the police officer locked him into his jail cell. “You can cry all you want, but you earned this. It’s nobody’s fault but your own”. A live camera watched him in his cell. Citizens of the town all sat down for dinner and turned the tv on to see what would happen to the bank robber. Bowie’s mom had the TV on as she finished making everyone’s plates for dinner. Bowie pointed at the TV as they sat down for dinner. “Mom! Dad! I saw him today! He’s the bank robber Bagley almost chased down”
Ava and Levi, her siblings, started to yell at the tv “Bank robbers are bad! Bank robbers are sooo bad” Bowie’s mom and dad hushed them . “Yes, yes, but please be quiet we need to know what is going to happen to him.” Said mom. “This is quite a big deal for our little town ” said dad. They sat and ate as they watched to see what would become of the bank robber.
After a few lonely minutes the bank robber was startled to hear the cell door opening. In walked a tall man with an even taller hat. “Son, you are free to go,” the man said. The bank robber couldn’t believe his ears. “Me? I get to go free? How ?!” As the mayor winked at the bank robber and held the door open for him he said “Well, being the mayor has its perks, let's just say that. I paid all your legal fees, and I made things right with the bank. Just promise me you’ll do better next time”. The bank robber smiled and said “I promise! Thank you so much!”
“Wait a minute” shouted Bowie at the TV. Ava and Levi set their forks down and waited patiently for Bowie to continue, but she just sat staring at the TV. Dad chuckled. “What’s got you confused sweetie?”
“He did a bad thing and now he gets to go free? Why would the mayor free him of jail when he’s guilty?” Mom pointed her fork at dad. “Daddy, I think this is a good opportunity for a Bible lesson”. Dad got so excited he shot up out of his seat and knocked over his water cup, which spilled onto his plate of spaghetti. He dabbed the table with a napkin and then began speaking with a smile.
“Well Bowie, what we just saw in the news perfectly pictures what the Bible calls “Redemption”. Bowie took out a piece of paper and wrote the word redemption down. Dad continued on. “You see, the bank robber deserved to be in jail because he did a bad thing, he robbed a bank. But the mayor of the town pardoned him. He allowed him to walk away as a free man.” Bowie replied “And the mayor paid the fees the robber owed, and made things right between the bank and the robber!” Dad gave Bowie a high five and said “Yes! Exactly” he continued on. “Romans 3:23 tells us that we all have done bad things, called sin. Just like the bank robber committed the sin of stealing.” Ava and Levi laughed. Bowie looked around confused. “Dad, are you saying we are all bank robbers?” Dad scratched his beard and said “No I’m not saying we’re all bank robbers. But robbing a bank is stealing, which is a sin, and the Bible teaches us that everyone has sinned before. Sin is simply doing bad things that make God upset” Bowie replied “that’s terrible news”. Mom pointed at dad again and said “of course. But that is why daddy is teaching you about redemption”
“That’s right!” Said dad. “Then Romans 3:24, the very next verse, tells us that our relationship to God is made right by Jesus. We have redemption because Jesus paid our penalty for us. All the wrong things we ever did, Jesus paid for on the cross. All we have to do is trust Him”. The family spent the rest of the evening reading more about Jesus and all He has done for the world by redeeming sinners.
The end.
