The Savior Boy

"Mama, we have to help She!"

"HUH?"

"We really need to help She! She needs help!"

At this point, Joshua was almost in tears. All I could say was.. "Show me!"

Thinking maybe he saw something outside.. someone who was hurt and did need our help, I ran with him down the hallway. But he turned.. into his room. I didn't know what to think, until he showed me a book.



"Mama she needs help and we have to save her, we can't let him hurt her."

Looking at the book... I breathed.. slowed down my racing heart...gave Joshua a hug, and said, "Let's find out why she is tied up, OK? Let Mommy read you the book."

He said, "OK, but we really need to help She."

I read the book.

It actually is a Bible story book about Abraham's Big Test (Genesis 12:1-22:19). My grandmother happened into a Christian book store about a year ago, and bought about 30 of these small paperback books. Each books tells a different Bible story and is illustrated with pictures to keep the interest of a child. So far, every book I have read to him has been appropriate and on target with the actual story. I really didn't think I had anything to worry.. until this book.

The story is about Abraham and how God spoke to him and told him to sacrifice his own son Isaac. He climbs to the mountaintop where there is a alter waiting. He ties up his son Isaac and pulls out his knife for the sacrifice. Just then, the lord speaks to him and tells him that he has proven his love and faith to the Lord and that Isaac is not the sacrifice, but there is a ram in the bushes that he must take and sacrifice instead.

I read all this to Joshua and explained that "She" was actually a boy named Isaac, and that he lets Isaac go and everyone is OK.

Then we turned the page....



And Joshua cries out... "OH NO, He cooked She!!!"

In a two year old brain, the fact that Isaac was let go and that everyone was OK, just didn't register. Adults read the words, and children read the pictures.

If you look at it from a child's perspective, the pictures were telling him that someone (She) was in trouble... and upon turning the page.. there is no evidence that She was let go.. No.. You see smoke coming from the alter where She was laying, therefore one would tend to believe that she was burned.

So..

I see his point.

Our little Savior Boy. Our Super Joshua. My Hero.