Mirage

Bible Reading: 1 Corinthians 6:19-20

Editor’s note: This story’s subject matter may not be appropriate for young children.

Several older boys at school often urged Nick and his friends to try drugs. “Getting high is the best thing ever,” one boy told them.

“Yeah!” said another. “You’ll love how it feels! C’mon, try ’em. They’re free today, so what do you have to lose?” Nick shook his head, but he wondered if using drugs really felt as good as they said it did.

As Nick and his mother drove home that day, the sky was crystal clear. As the car approached a hill, Nick thought he saw water on the road up ahead. “Where’d that water come from?” he asked. “It hasn’t rained for weeks.”

“There isn’t any water,” Mom said, and as they moved closer, Nick saw that the puddle he thought he’d seen had disappeared. “That was a mirage,” Mom told him.

“We studied that in school!” said Nick. “My teacher said mirages are often seen in deserts, but sometimes they’re seen on streets too. She said light rays from the sky get caught by hot air above the pavement and make it look like the road is wet when it really isn’t. I wasn’t sure what that meant, but now I know! Mirages are cool!”

“Not always,” said Mom. “What if you were thirsty in the desert and you saw a refreshing lake ahead? But then you discovered the lake was only a mirage created by the condition of the atmosphere. No water, just dry desert.”

“A trick!” Nick said. “That would be the worst!”

“Some other things in life also look appealing at first but turn out to be major letdowns,” said Mom. “Some are even harmful—like illegal drugs, for instance.”

Nick looked at Mom in surprise, thinking about what had happened at school.

“The high—the good feeling drugs produce in people—can seem like fun,” continued Mom, “but it’s like a mirage. Abusing drugs is very harmful to your body and goes against everything Jesus is shaping you to be. They’re also addictive and expensive and have ruined many people’s lives.”

Nick watched the buildings zoom past the car window in silence. Those boys were wrong, he thought. I have everything to lose by trying drugs. He turned to his mother. “Mom? There’s something I need to tell you.” – Nance E. Keyes

How About You?

Have you been tempted to do drugs? It may seem like trying them would be fun or make you look cool, but that’s just a mirage. Drugs are extremely harmful and can destroy your life. If you know Jesus, your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, so honor Him by saying no to the things that hurt it—and if necessary, tell a parent or another adult who can help too.

Today’s Key Verse: 1 Corinthians 6:20 (ERV) God paid a very high price to make you his. So honor God with your body.

Today’s Key Thought:

Don’t be fooled into using drugs