Pure Christianity: Wrinkle Time

We have a large dog puppet (lots of wrinkled folds) that we call Wrinkles. She assists us in our daily devotions sometimes. She is always getting into mischief and having funny adventures. Wrinkles, is shy, so whenever she talks, she whispers in my ear, and I repeat it to the kids. Here is a bit of our "Transformer" devotion with Wrinkles.

"Look who's here everyone- It's Wrinkles!. Say HI to Wrinkles."

( Wrinkles wags tail and tongue and licks a couple of the kids.)

" We haven't seen you in a while, Wrinkles, what have you been up to?"

(wrinkles whispers in my ear)

"What? you're not Wrinkles anymore? Who are you, then?"

(whispers)

"A Transformer?!?!" ( to kids) "I think Wrinkles is pretending."

(whispers)

"You're not pretending? You are a REAL transformer you say?"

(whispers)

"The bible says you are !?! Well, what do you mean exactly, Wrinkles?"

(whispers and motions for a child to check her front pocket.)

(child pulls out a slip of paper with verses on it.)

Child reads, " Be not conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind" Rom.12:2

" And we...are being transformed into His likeness with ever-increasing glory." 2 Cor. 3:18

"Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation, the old has gone, the new has come!" 2 Cor.5:20

"I guess you're right in a way, Wrinkles! We are real transformers( more than meets the eye)"

( holding up two transformers, in similar size and color- both in their robot form...)

" Although we may sometimes look, and act like other people who are not Christians right now, we are still something totally different, that we will see in time."

( I have two children change the transformers into their other forms.- One becomes a race car, the other a tank.) " the old is passed away, and the new has come! Cool!""

( ask kids) "How does that first verse say we are transformed? How do we get from one form to another? Wouldn't it be terrible if you bought a new transformer, and never got around to transforming to it's other cool shape?" That would be a bummer! -to never let it fulfill what it was suppose to be; what the designers worked so hard to make it become?-- But you guys would never let that happen , I bet!"

(wrinkles, whispers)" That's right, Wrinkles, that verse says " by renewing our mind."

(whispers)

"You want to know how we renew our minds?" Well in Romans, it says, that the Word of God renews our mind. That means that when we are taught from the bible the way Jesus wants us to act and love on another, or when we pray and God speaks to our heart and tells us something to do-then we now know and can act differently then we would naturally have."

(whispers)

"Wrinkles says, she knows a lot of verses and has always gone to church and knows how to act, but she still isn't transformed yet- she still acts acts selfish and naughty sometimes."

" Well Wrinkles, that is because just knowing what God wants is not enough. We have to choose to obey and do what we know is right. And that can be really hard sometimes."

"Learning how to let go of what we want and submit to God and others is called "dying to ourselves." And that is a big part of what being a Christian is about. That is how we let God transform us. It can be a slow process, especially when we resist God, and don't obey what we know he wants, very often."

( I take a transformer and make it look very mixed up, halfway formed)

"This is kinda how we are and look when we don't let God do His work in us-and it takes a lot longer to become that awesome thing God has designed us to be- to fulfill what he wants us to do on this earth. Some people get this far and get stuck here and never finish transforming. Isn't that a shame?"

" I know a nice lady, who is a Christian and does a lot of good for people, yet she will not forgive someone who hurt her in her life- so that part is stuck. You see, we can't pick and choose what areas we will decide to obey God. He has to be boss in every way! Otherwise we will stay a mess like this transformer."

" So the next time, you are getting upset about something not going your way, or are having a conflict with someone, remember that this is your oppurtunity to transform a little to look like Jesus. I know it is very hard to let God be in charge of your emotions when your angry or hurt- but ask him to help you and He will."

( everyone prays)

" Everyone say bye to Wrinkles, she has to go, now. Bye Wrinkles!"

Our discussion was quite a bit longer , but this was the jist of the message. I didn't come up with this- God actually gave it to me in a dream- pretty cool. Now the kids are on a big Transformer kick, playing with them every chance they get! when they start to get cross with each other, I remind them of their oppurtunity to "Transform" !

Heather