63 A Babysitting Surprise
Gail got a chance to some babysitting for her favorite Christian singer who happened to live in the same neighborhood. He was very famous and sang very beautiful songs about grace and redemption and living a holy life for God. The singer was Gail's idol and she looked up to him as a good role model. She was so starstruck when she met him. The singer was very gracious and kind just as Gail imagined him to be. The singer asked Gail to take very good care of his 5-year old son Ricky. He gave her an autographed photo and paid her in advance before he left to a do a concert that night.
Gail got a long very well with little Ricky. They played some board games and she read him a story of a children's devotional book. Ricky asked Gail for some orange juice. Gail then absentmindedly went to the refrigerator and opened it. She was shocked to see that the refrigerator was full of booze and hard liquor! It took Gail some time to move the beer cans and liquor bottles around until she found the carton of orange juice.
Gail poured out some orange juice and returned to the living room. She gave Ricky the orange juice. Gail eventually put Ricky to bed and sat in the living room still stunned by her discovery in the refrigerator. It just didn't fit with the picture she had of a singer who exhorted to others in his songs to live a life dedicated to God and to avoid being caught up with wordly things.
When the singer came home with his band mates, Gail quietly told him everything went well with Ricky and that there were no problems. She noticed that everyone was smoking and talking about doing some partying. The singer offered to give Gail and additional tip for her services, but she declined politely and went home. Gail never saw the Christian singer in the same light ever again.
Appearances can be deceiving. People are fallible and can fail to live up to the image they create of themselves. Jesus is the perfect role model to look up to!
- Recommended reading: 1 Samuel 16:7, Luke 13:22-30
