True Story

Bible Reading: Luke 9:18-20

“Ow!” yelped Ava. “Quit pinching me, Drew!”

“It’s St. Patrick’s Day, and you’re not wearing green,” said Drew. “That means you get pinched!”

“I am wearing green!” Ava insisted. “My shirt is green. You just can’t see it because my sweater is covering it up.” She turned to her mother. “Mom, why do people wear green for St. Patrick’s Day?”

“It’s because he was from Ireland, the Emerald Isle,” said Drew. “And St. Patrick found a four-leaf clover, which was green. And he drove all the snakes out of Ireland and found a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow and—”

“Hold on a minute, Drew,” said Mom. “Historians tell us Patrick actually grew up in England, but was captured by Irish raiders as a teenager. He was a prisoner for many years and became a Christian during that time. When he finally escaped, he returned to England, but he eventually went back to Ireland to tell people about Jesus.”

“But what about the stories of him driving snakes out of Ireland and finding gold at the end of the rainbow?” asked Drew.

“Those are fables,” said Mom. “Just because you hear people say things doesn’t mean they’re true. The truth often gets covered up by what the world wants to believe.”

“Like Ava’s sweater is hiding her green shirt!” said Drew.

Mom nodded. “It’s not just St. Patrick’s story that people get wrong. A lot of people believe wrong things about Jesus too. They think He was just a good man who was killed for standing up for what He believed, but that’s not true at all. He was and is God, and He came to earth and died to take the punishment for our sin. That’s what the Bible tells us, and it’s the truth.”

“And that’s what he went to tell the people in Ireland, right?” asked Drew.

“Yes,” said Mom. “He didn’t go back to the land where he was held captive to tell people about a good man. He went back to tell them about the loving God who became human and died so they could be forgiven—and who helped Patrick forgive those who wronged him so they could know the truth. That’s the true miracle of St. Patrick’s Day.” – Jennifer Quakenbush

How About You?

What have you heard people say about Jesus? That He was just a good man? Or that He is God’s Son who died on the cross for your sins? No matter what people say, you can go to God’s Word for the true story. Jesus is God, and He loves you so much that He died to take away your sin—and that’s the truth!

Today’s Key Verse:
1 Timothy 1:15 (ERV) Here is a true statement that should be accepted without question: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, and I am the worst of them.

Today’s Key Thought:

Jesus died for you