This Old Planet

Journey and Elise ran to the garage where their dad was working. "Mom says we're going to have a picnic at the park!" said Journey. "Can we go soon?"

"We want to have time to play on the swings before we eat!" added Elise.

"Okay," said Dad. "But before we go, I need to wash the car."

"Why bother?" asked Elise. "It's old."

"You're right. It is old," Dad replied. "But it's the only car we have--and God calls us to take care of everything we've been given. You can help. Then it will get done quicker."

The girls reluctantly got busy. Journey mixed soap into a bucket of water while Elise got out sponges and Dad pulled out the hose. They washed and polished the car until it shone brightly. "There!" Dad said. "It looks almost as good as new."

Soon they were on their way. At the park, Dad pushed Journey and Elise on the swings, and the girls also had fun on the slides and other playground equipment. Then Mom called for them to come and eat.

"It's so beautiful here," Mom said as they ate. "The trees and sky and flowers are so pretty."

When they had finished eating, Journey and Elise carried the trash to a garbage can. "Thanks, girls," Dad said when they got back. "Though I see some of the stuff fell on the ground when you were walking over and you left it. That's no way to treat this old planet! Go back and pick it up."

"Old planet?" asked Journey.

Dad nodded. "Just like our old car, this old planet is the only one we have to live on, and God wants us to take good care of it. This may be an old planet, but it's also a wonderful, amazing, beautiful planet--and Jesus promises to make it new again one day when He comes back to get rid of sin forever and restore all creation to the way He intended it to be. Until then, we need to be good stewards and take care of the planet He created for us."

"Okay, Dad," Elise said, and the girls hurried back to pick up their trash.

–Daryl B. Knauer