The Bubble Gum Code

Bible Reading: 2 Timothy 3:16-17

Billy worked the wad of bubble gum in his mouth to one cheek and stepped

inside. “I’mmm hooommm.”

Dad was at the kitchen table. “How was the birthday party?”

“Fntsssssstk!”

Dad looked confused.

“Fantastic?” Mom smiled. “Glad to hear it.”

“Wuved de ways-kah.”

“He loved the race car you gave him? Wonderful!” Mom held out her hand. “Time to get rid of the bubble gum.”

“Definitely,” Dad said. “I don’t know how Mom understood you.”

Billy spit out his gum. “Mom broke the talking-while-chewing-bubble-gum code years ago!”

“For a moment,” Dad said, “I thought you’d learned a secret code.”

“I wish,” said Billy. “Do you know any secret codes, Dad?”

“I only know about some codes,” Dad said. “Like the ones used in World War Two.” Dad grabbed his history book. “In May 1941, British battleships tried stopping enemy submarines with depth charges, which were basically big barrels filled with explosives. One sub was badly damaged and had to surface. A battleship named the Bulldog pulled alongside the German submarine and captured thirty-two men. They found code books and a secret code machine called the Enigma.”

“Whoa,” Billy said. “How did the machine work?”

“The submarine commanders sent and received secret messages on it—about where they were hiding or where they were going to attack,” Dad said. “When the British captured the Enigma machine, they broke the enemy’s code and understood their secrets—which helped the Allies win the war.”

Dad’s story made Billy think of something totally different. “Sometimes reading my Bible feels like a battle,” Billy said. “As if some parts are written in code that I don’t understand.”

“Mom and I can help you with that,” Dad said. “But there are some parts God may not fully explain until we see Jesus face-to-face—and that’s okay. The important thing to know is that the Bible tells us who God is and how we can have eternal life with Him by trusting in His Son, Jesus.” Dad smiled. “And that’s no secret!”

-Matt Shoemaker

How About You?

Does reading the Bible ever feel like trying to crack a secret code? There are parts of the Bible that can be difficult to understand, but the overall message is plain—God is holy and good, and we need His Son, Jesus, to save us from sin and give us eternal life. The Bible is the greatest book ever written because it’s God’s Word, and He helps us understand everything we need to know.

Today’s Key Verse:
Deuteronomy 29:29 (NIV) The secret things belong to the Lord our God, but the things revealed belong to us and to our children forever.

Today’s Key Thought:

The Bible reveals Jesus