A Little Jesus Story

Let me tell you a little Jesus story…

The boys were first up for organized games today. The littles as they are sometimes called, our six and seven year old campers, were in the gym while the older campers were out on the sports field. They were playing a game called parachute ball. It is a bit intimidating for first timers as you run under the lifted parachute to escape the big ball on top. Now that is a lot of context leading to Austin (not his real name) sitting alone on one of the benches watching the action. He was playing with a big rubber band.

This caught the eye of Grandma Sandy. She walked over and sat down beside him. Wanting to connect with him, she offered an exchange for the rubber band. She had in her shoulder bag a bunch of little rubber Jesus figures. He smiled as she placed one in his hand. He had no sooner begun to admire the little figure when Keegan (not his real name) came over exclaiming that it was his. He said, through tears, that he had lost it yesterday.

“Grandma instinct” kicked in as Sandy told Keegan she had just given that one to Austin, so it couldn’t be his. Unzipping her bag, she pulled out another figure and gave it to him. He wiped the tears from his eyes and began to smile. Sandy said that he could hold it in his hand. Or put it in his pocket. You could give him away. He smiled. Excitedly he said, “there’s just Jesus everywhere.” Innocent words describing such a significant eternal truth. Sandy smiled at what he had said.

The boys got up to head to the next game. Keegan attempted to give Sandy a fist bump. Not having any of that, Sandy said, “grandmas prefer hugs, if that’s okay with you”. The boys hugged Sandy and went on their way. Each carrying a little Jesus, in their pockets and in their hearts.

Just another day at camp.