Who’s Afraid of a Pink Jelly Bean?

Bible Reading: Psalm 27:1-6; 34:4; John 14:27

Emily giggled. She couldn’t help it. Her cousins Travis and Drake were visiting, and she was too excited to sleep.

“Shhh,” Travis whispered from his pallet of blankets on the living room floor.

Emily’s brother Christopher came bounding into the room wearing a blanket around his shoulders like a superhero cape. “What have I missed?”

“Shhhhhhh!” said all the cousins.

Holding a flashlight up to his face, Travis began. “In a dark, dark galaxy, there was a dark, dark world. In the dark, dark world was a dark, dark neighborhood. In this dark, dark neighborhood was a dark, dark house. In this dark, dark house was a dark, dark closet. And in the dark, dark closet”— he paused dramatically—“was a pink jelly bean!”

The cousins burst out laughing. “See? That wasn’t scary,” Travis said as he turned off the flashlight.

Christopher lay down and stared at the ceiling. “I wonder if I wouldn’t have been so scared if I knew the ending was good.”

“Yeah,” said Emily. “I was fine once we got to the pink jelly bean, but the not knowing was a little freaky.”

Drake grinned. “Kind of like a Bible verse I read once—‘my mind reels and horror overwhelms me.’”

Travis playfully punched Drake’s arm. “That is not a comforting thought.”

Emily sat up. “I’ll be right back.” She ran to the kitchen and returned with a magnet. “Look!”

“What does it say?” asked Christopher. “Shine your flashlight on it, Travis.”

Drake read, “The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The Lord is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?”

“Mom says she looks at it whenever she feels afraid of the unknown,” Emily told her cousins. “She says it reminds her that Jesus saved her and is always with her, so why should she be scared?”

Christopher yawned. “I like that Bible verse much better than ‘my mind reels and horror overwhelms me’!”

“Me too,” said Travis, turning off the flashlight. “’Night, everyone.”

The cousins were almost asleep. Then, from across the room, Drake called out, “Is anybody else hungry for pink jelly beans?” – Kelly Hope

How About You?

Is there something you’re afraid of? Jesus promises He will always be with those who trust in Him, so we don’t have to be afraid. Memorize Psalm 27:1. The next time you start to feel scared, say that Bible verse out loud. Remember that you don’t have to be afraid because Jesus saved you and will always help you.

Today’s Key Verse:
Psalm 27:1 The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The Lord is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid? (KJV)

Today’s Key Thought:

Don’t be afraid