Four Little Words

by Linda Spoerle Brake (LuLu)

     We arrived at the party after the gifts had been opened, as was requested by “Mom”. A bubbling 4-year old opened the door to two weary looking clowns. Before we could utter a word, he squealed with delight, shouting, “Clowns!” to the relatives gathered behind him.

     We told him we had been out walking, looking for a birthday party, as we show how our “swollen” feet. We asked if he knew of anyone having a birthday. “I am. You can come to my birthday party,” he answered with a smile that was contagious. After telling him that he needed to get permission from Mom or Dad before letting us in, he ran to Mom, then back to us, telling us we could stay.

     We enter to a bouncing 4-year old’s continuous questions. We find a place for our props as LeRoy’s phone rings. He pulls a banana out of his pocket, puts it to his ear and says, “Hello, LeRoy here”. Our birthday boy is literally tickled as he again squeals with delight. LeRoy continues, “Yes, we finally found a birthday party……Yes, he’s here…..and he’s 4 years old…..You want to talk to him?……Ok….LuLu, it’s not for me. It’s for Caymen.”

LuLu replies, “LeRoy says the phone is for you, Caymen. You better see who it is.”  Caymen doesn’t have to be told twice. He eagerly takes the banana. LeRoy takes a real phone from his pocket, “Hello, Caymen, this is LeRoy. Would you like to help us with some magic tricks? You would? Oh, boy! Hang up and we’ll get started.”

     As LuLu and Caymen repeatedly try and fail with the magic trick, LeRoy finally tells them they need a magic wand. Instantly, Caymen runs to the stairs saying, “I have a magic wand.” LuLu calls him back, still saying they need a magic wand. Again, Caymen takes off for the stairs. LuLu reassures him they don’t need it as LeRoy produces a carrot. LuLu replies, “LeRoy, that’s not a magic wand. That’s a carrot.” LeRoy insists, “It looks like a magic wand to me. Doesn’t it look like a magic wand to you, Caymen?” That’s all Caymen needs to start for his magic wand again. He stops as LuLu convinces him to try the carrot.

     I can’t remember exactly when it happened. It may have been during this magic trick or in the middle of a skit. The moment took precedent over

everything else. Somewhere in the middle of a 4-year old’s birthday party,

four little words were spoken that made this birthday party even more

special than it already was. An angelic little face looked up at two 54 year-

old Christian clowns and asked, “Do you know God?”

     He’s the center of attention. He has clowns and presents and family.

So many things occupying his mind yet, he asks, “Do you know God?” He

didn’t need an opening. He had two new friends and he wanted to know. He

had no fear of what we’d say or what we’d think of him.

     In Matthew 18, the disciples asked Jesus who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. Jesus called a child to Him and said that unless we change and humble ourselves like little children, we will never enter the kingdom of heaven.  And, in Luke 18, Jesus says that anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.

     Yes, Caymen, we know God and he was there at your birthday party.