On Freddie’s 10th birthday, he blew out his candles and wished for what he always wished – to have a puppy of his very own. But this year, his wish spilled out of his mouth:
“Mum, Dad, I WANT A PUPPY!”
His mum and dad looked at each other, and Mum said, “It might be your birthday Freddie, but you know what they say: ‘I want’ doesn’t get!’”
Freddie’s Mum was always quoting old sayings. “True,” said Freddie, “but you’re always saying, ‘if you don’t ask you don’t get’?!”
Freddie’s Dad tried to stifle a laugh. “It’s a big commitment having a dog. It means two walks a day, every day, rain or shine! And you can’t just get bored of a dog…”
“No,” said Mum, “’A dog is for life, not just for Christmas.’”
Freddie promised his parents that he wouldn’t get bored, that he’d wanted a puppy forever! So, he set about proving just how reliable he was. He put his dirty clothes in the laundry basket. He never complained when his Mum woke him up for school. He even tidied his bedroom! A few months later, his Mum and Dad came into his bedroom.
“Freddie,” said Dad, “you’ve really devoted yourself and taken on a lot of responsibility over the last few months.”
Mum told Freddie about a verse in the Bible that says, ‘Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much.’
“You’ve proved we can trust you with the little things,” said Dad.
“And it’s the little things that count!” said Mum, “So…we think you’ll be a fantastic, faithful dog owner! Let’s go down to the rescue centre on the weekend!”
“I Want a Puppy!” is a version of a drama that was performed in school during our Gospel Assembly on Monday the 3rd of February.
It’s the Little Things that Count
In the story above, Freddie was devoted to proving he could be responsible. In the corresponding assembly children learned that people can be devoted to different things – sports teams, bands, friends and family, and to God too! Just like Freddie showed faithfulness and was rewarded by getting a puppy, we can show faithfulness to God – and our faithfulness will be rewarded too!
In the Gospel for the Presentation of the Lord, we see that all the people demonstrate faithfulness to God: Simeon had waited his whole life to see Jesus and never gave up hope that the day would come; Anna spent night and day in the temple worshipping and fasting; Mary and Joseph, by presenting Jesus at the temple, were faithful to the traditions required of them and Jesus was a faithful son who grew in maturity and wisdom.
God wants us to be faithful to Him, to be devoted to Him – because that is how He made us to be. As faithful followers of Jesus, children learned that they are able to enjoy friendship with God and can look forward to the reward of Heaven!
You might like to discuss with your child practical ways in which they can be faithful to God, remembering that it’s the little things that count.
