Little Readers
The Green Paint Mystery Understanding Honesty and Forgiveness
S
teve was a typical little five-year-old boy. He was adventuresome, curious, a little daring, but also helpful and wanting to please. His parents had just moved from California to Arizona to look for work. The family had very little and could not afford to rent a house, but a friend let them stay in a garage that he had converted into a small apartment. Just one room served as a living room, kitchen, and bedroom with a tiny bathroom in the back. So Steve and his older brother found themselves in a brand new environment with much to explore and learn. The friend who provided the garage-apartment to Steve’s family worked in landscaping. He owned several lawn mowers and other gardening equipment and stored them in an open shop in the back of the garage-apartment. One afternoon, Steve was looking for something to do and found himself exploring the shop behind his garage-apartment. No one was around so little Steve took advantage of the moment. Under a counter was the most interesting and tempting item. It was a gallon can of green paint, and very conveniently beside it was a paintbrush! The temptation was now very real. The bare wood plank walls of the shop looked like they really needed a coat of green paint. So Steve went to work spreading paint on the shop wall. There was paint here, a little paint over there, and drops of paint everywhere, but Steve was having the time of his life! When he finally decided he had painted enough, he set the paintbrush down on the open can of paint and walked away.
It was at that moment that Steve realized the very appalling and awful thing he had done. Would anyone notice? How could anyone not notice green paint spattered on the shop wall? Surely no one would know who did it and surely no one would suspect him. Everything was just fine until there was a knock on the door that evening. It was the owner of the lawnmower shop! Steve heard the man tell his dad about the green paint spread over the wall of his shop. After what seemed like an eternity, the man left. Somehow his father knew who the culprit was! In Numbers 32:23, the Bible says, “Be sure your sin will find you out.” We may do something when no one is watching and think no one will ever know. But just like my father knew I was the guilty one, so our Heavenly Father sees all and knows all that we do. We cannot hide anything from Him. But our Heavenly Father loves us so much that He sent His Son as a sacrifice for our sins. John 3:16 says, “For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.” The Bible also tells us in 1 John 1:9 that “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.” So when you know you need to ask for forgiveness, be honest and pray to your Heavenly Father. He is waiting to forgive you and love you, and teach you how to do better next time. By Stephen Orian, Arkansas-Louisiana Conference President
"Whoever conceals their sins does not prosper, but the one who confesses and renounces them finds mercy." - Proverbs 28:13 Steve explored the shop in the backyard and found many equipment. Do you know the names of the landscaping equipment below?
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Answers: 1. Shears 2. Weed Trimmer 3. Leaf Blower 4. Tractor 5. Lawn Mower
14 RECORD MAGAZINE
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