Looking for the bad guy....

This was an interesting couple of weeks at work.  Our theme was "Fairy Tales" and we read so many stories that our little three year olds had never heard before!  It was really fun to hear and see these familiar tales through new eyes.  Yesterday and today I helped our little ones create their own "house of sticks" and then add the three little pigs!  Anytime they get to paint with glue and then use a glue stick is a good day in our class.   As I was chatting with each child as they created their house of sticks, we recounted the story.  Several of them also wanted to tell me all of the stories we had focused on, with the favorites being Little Red Riding Hood and Jack in the Beanstalk.  The interesting thing about this art project was that as soon as we added the three little pigs to this paper, EVERY  SINGLE kid wanted to know where the big bad wolf was!   Since we made a wolf last week, we did not include one on this project.  I couldn't believe that they all were looking for the wolf. 

This afternoon I was thinking about this.  Isn't it just like so many times when we are looking for the "bad guy" in whatever situation we are in?  Of imaging all the very bad things that we are sure are just around the corner?  There is a message here!  At first I thought it was a BAD thing that the kids wanted the wolf in the picture.   But then I realized that the story of the three little pigs, isn't a very good story without the wolf.  If you think about it, all it would be is a story of three brothers who couldn't agree on how to build a house.  And the unfortunate thing is that they would all most likely have a similar outcome with or without the wolf.  The house of straw wouldn't last, nor would the house of sticks. Only the house of bricks would last.  This reminded me of one of favorite Christian kids songs The Wise Man Built His House Upon the Rock taken from Matthew 7:24-27.  These verses contain Jesus' directions to be sure and build your house on the Rock, with a firm foundation rather than on sand.  The message of this story is much deeper than the 3 little pigs.   Jesus was talking about having HIM as the foundation of our life.  And then when we face storms in our life, or the very real attacks of the ever present "big bad wolf" - Satan- we will not be shaken.  We are safe and secure on the solid foundation with Jesus as our Saviour. 

I am so glad that my little ones helped me remember a couple of really important truths today.
1.  There is a "Big Bad Wolf" in our story  2.  It's good to build a BRICK house (Or really a house on THE Rock!)  3.  It's also good to stick together!  I just love when the day to day stuff in my life brings me to new revelation and understanding.   I had never really thought about how important my foundation was when those attacks of the enemy occur.  It's good to consider isn't it? 

Jesus, thank you so much for the words you spoke reminding us to build our house on the rock.  Holy Spirit, it is your prompting and reminders that bring me deeper into truth.  Thank you for these little children that open my eyes and keep me on my toes.  Bless us all as we seek to go deeper into your truths, Jesus.   Amen.