by Jim Payton
faith and a helmet of salvation. It said that if I wore that armour, I would be safe from harm. I liked the bit about the belt of truth. If I had used it when asked about my fillings, I would not have got into trouble.
I know that the Knights of the Round Table had protection from arrows, swords and lances (Spear-like weapons,) by their armour. I also knew that the bible did not mean that we had to dress up in real metal armour like King Arthur’s Knights. I knew that it meant that to be a Christian, and do God’s works, then I would be attacked by people who would try to make me do wrong things. I found that the best armour was to learn my memory verses. By knowing them, when some one said something bad, or tried to make me fight, I was able to remember those verses and instead of being hurt by what people said, ignore the words. How do memory verses do that? If I had used my ‘belt of truth’ about my fillings that piece of armour would have protected me from the cane. I would have remembered the Bible memory verse that says 'You must be truthful with each other' in Zechariah Chapter 8, verse 16 and told the truth. Instead of name calling hurting me, my ‘shield of faith’ would have told me that God loved me. I would have remembered Psalm 52, verse 8b which says 'I can count on His love forever.' If you see people fighting, then you might remember a verse that says, ‘Blessed are the peacemakers’, so you will try and stop the fighting. That would be using your ‘shoes of peace’.
Story 31 The Circle of Life
While standing at the kitchen sink as I either wash or dry the dishes, I look out at our back lawn. We have a large tree dominating the lawn, which provides fantastic shade from the summer heat. In the spring, birds build nests in the tree. They teach their babies to fly from that tree. Both parents and children, to start with, simply have to fall out of the tree to peck at crumbs of bread, cut up apples and wild birdseed that Yvonne and I put out for them. I have to smile at parents feeding the young birds. Even though they are big enough to feed themselves, they stand beside their Mum or Dad and flap their little wings frantically until a crumb of bread drops into their mouths. In the pot plant base that we use as a birdbath, whole families splash, wash and drink fresh clean water.
From time to time, strong winds buffet the tree. Its branches wave majestically and the wind chimes hanging from those branches tinkle frantically. Unfortunately, the wind also blows some of the bird's nests from the tree and eggs get broken or baby birds die. If that happens, the Mummy and Daddy birds build new nests, or repair their old ones, and get on with life again. It does not matter how many times it happens they just start over again.
Then, once summer changes into autumn, and autumn into winter, the tree drops its leaves. By July, all the leaves have gone from the tree. There are just bare branches left, but the birds are still there: sparrows, thrushes, blackbirds, silvereyes, starlings, mynas and the odd yellowhammer. Occasionally a Tui from the neighbour’s trees will put in an appearance. The birds require more food in the winter so the amount of bread and seed we buy increases.
Before we know it, the buds are back on the tree and then the leaves appear again and our view of the neighbour disappears. The birds either rebuild their nests or build new ones and the babies reappear.
What I see is the circle of life. Elton John sings of it, and God made it. For the birds, our backyard and tree is their world. God provides the tree for them to live in. He feeds them and he gives them sons and daughters for their families. He gives them life and death. They have disasters like strong winds blowing their homes away and killing their young, and dangers like cats that stalk them. God also gives them Yvonne and me to provide little extras in life, to keep cats away, and give food and love.
While there are some trees that stay green always, and never lose their leaves, our tree is not one of them. Our tree does so much work in the spring and summer that it needs to rest, so during the autumn it drops its leaves and goes to sleep for the cold winter months. Sometimes you and I work so hard for God that we need a rest like the tree. God made life like that. He knows we need to have some time to rest so he made Sundays, and holidays, for us. Like the tree though, it does not mean that we forget God or our job. The rest is for us to think about God and the work we have to do for him in our lives. Once we have had our rest, like the tree during the winter, we start our work again for God, just as the tree makes leaves and shade.
Story 32 Reasons and Seasons
Sometimes you go to school and the boy or girl who was your friend the day before suddenly does not want to be your friend anymore. They have another best friend. That makes you very sad and sometimes it makes you cry. When that happens, you sometimes say bad things about them because you are hurt and upset. You have done nothing wrong and do not know why they no longer want to be your friend. It does not seem fair does it? So what should you do when your friend does not want to be your friend anymore? Should you say bad things about them, should you start a fight with them, or should you poke your tongue out at them?
Well, you can do several things. The main thing is that if they will listen, tell them that you are sad they do not want to be your friend anymore, but also tell them to have fun with their new friend, and that you still like them. If they will not listen, or do not want to listen, or say bad things about you, leave them alone and do not go near them. You then find a new friend. You see, people and friends come into your life, group or team for what is called a reason or a season. God puts them with you, either to teach you something or for you to teach them something. That is the reason for them being in your life. Perhaps God wants you to learn how to forgive people who do wrong things. He may arrange for a friend or person you know to do something wrong to you so that you can forgive them, or you may do something wrong to them and by them forgiving you, you learn how to forgive. God has put that person in your life for a reason, for you to learn something.
It may be that God has put you in a Sunday school class and the Sunday school teacher stays with you for all the time you are in the junior classes. When you go on to Youth Group, you may never see that Sunday school teacher ever again. They have been in your life for a season, a period of time, to teach you about Jesus and being a Christian.
While it is sad when you lose a friend, you must understand that God has put them in your life for a reason or a season. They are there to teach you something, or for you to teach them something. You may never know what the reason is but when they leave, it is because neither you, nor they, can learn anymore from each other. So, be sad, but know that God has another friend waiting for you.
Story 33 What Are Presents?
It was nearly 11 o’clock on Christmas Eve. Janet and her Mum and Dad had just parked their car in the carpark and were heading up the steps into the Church. Janet was nine years old and she had always gone to Church with her Mum and Dad on Christmas Eve. It meant that she was a bit tired on Christmas morning, but the thought of presents got her out of bed easily. Janet’s Church was quite a big flash one. There were many steps up to the front doors. As she climbed the steps, she saw a movement in the corner where the steps met the wall of the Church. She looked closer, and saw a boy about her age sitting with his back against the wall. She let go of her Mum’s hand and told her that she would be back in a moment.
Janet went to the boy. She was dressed in her best clothes but the boy had on dirty jeans, sneakers with holes, a torn jersey, a beanie, and a jacket that looked like it would never have kept the cold snow out.
‘Hello,’ said Janet. ‘What’s your name?’
‘Adam,’ said the boy.
‘My name is Janet. This is my Church. Do you go to my Church?’
‘I don’t go to no silly Church,’ said Adam.
‘Well why are you here then?’ asked Janet.
‘Because,’ said Adam.
‘Because why?’ asked Janet.
‘Just because,’ said Adam.
‘Where are your Mum and Dad?’ asked Janet.
‘Don’t have no Dad and Mum is sick,’ said Adam.
‘Are you c
old?’ asked Janet.
‘Perhaps,’ said Adam.
‘Come inside out of the snow,’ invited Janet. She took Adam by the hand and they climbed the steps to the front door. There were coloured lights hanging from the windows and round the door.
‘What are the lights for?’ asked Adam.
‘They are Christmas lights,’ explained Janet.
‘What’s Christmas?’ asked Adam.
‘Don’t you know silly?’ asked Janet.
‘Course I do,’ replied Adam. ‘I was just testing you.’ Janet gave Adam a bit of a funny look. ‘What’s that?’ Adam continued, pointing to a manger scene with a baby Jesus doll in a manger and Mary, Joseph and animals gathered around.
‘You don’t know what Christmas is do you,’ said Janet. ‘How old are you to not know about Christmas?’
‘Doesn’t matter,’ said Adam. ‘I don’t want Christmas anyway.’ He let go of Janet’s hand and turned back towards the door. Janet grabbed his hand again.
‘No don’t go away,’ said Janet. ‘If you don’t know what Christmas is, I will tell you. Do you know who Jesus is?’
‘Course I do,’ said Adam. Janet looked doubtfully at him. ‘Maybe I forgot,’ he added.
‘A long long time ago,’ explained Janet, ‘In a place called Bethlehem,
