But Jesus called them unto him, and said, Suffer little children to come unto me, and forbid them not: for of such is the kingdom of God.-Luke 18:16

                            Doubting Duck

 Little Faithful Froggy was having such a good time jumping off the lily pads and diving into the clear cool water.

He was laughing and splashing, and swimming.

Under a tree on the waters edge sat little Doubting Duck. "Come in the water, Ducky!" said Froggy.

Poor little Duck, he wanted to play with his friend, it looked like he was having so much fun, but he was so afraid that he would sink!

"Don't worry, Ducky, you will be fine! God made you so that you would float!"

"No, no", said Ducky, "I don't think I can, I don't have legs like you do, and I am not green."

"Ducky, you have special feathers and webbed feet like all ducks and all ducks can swim!"

"But, Froggy, I have never gone swimming before, and you are so good at it, you were even born in the water, I wasn't."

Froggy was sad; his friend would not listen or believe him.

"Please, Ducky, come in the water, you will be fine, I know you will. If you never come into the water, how will you know for sure that you can't swim? Where is your faith, Ducky? Don’t you think God knew what He was doing when He made you?” asked Froggy.

“Ducky, did you know that Peter from the Bible walked on water when Jesus called to him?”

“Yes, I did” said Ducky.

“So if a man can walk on water, don’t you think a duck like you can swim?” asked Froggy.

“Yes, but you know Peter also started to sink!” said Ducky, shaking in his little webbed feet.

"Hmmm," Froggy thought for a minute, "maybe that's not a good example…but, wait!

 Peter started to sink only when he took his eyes off Jesus! So, just keep thinking of Jesus, Ducky, and you will be fine.” said Froggy.

Doubtful Ducky still stood there.

Faithful Froggy still waited.

Soon, Froggy thought of another Bible story. "Ducky, remember the story of Jonah?"

"Yes!" replied Ducky, "I do remember that story too. But I don't think YOU remember what happened to Jonah!" Ducky looked fearfully into the water for duck eating whales.

"Hmm... maybe that wasn't a good example either, but wait! He was safe in the end, right? God saved him!"

"Yes, God did save him, ok, I will try," whimpered Doubtful Ducky, the quivering quacker.

Ducky waddled down to the waters edge, and dipped the tip of his little webbed foot into the water. "Oh! The water is too cold!"

"No, the water is fine!" said Froggy, "come in and you will see!"

Ducky carefully and slowly stepped into the water with both of his feet.

He closed his eyes and jumped into the pond.

He thought for sure he would sink to the bottom.

Or that a whale would eat him.

Ducky opened his eyes and to his surprise, he was floating on the water!

“Yippee!” shouted Ducky, “I am swimming!”

Ducky started to paddle his feet and swim to Froggy.

“Look Froggy, I am swimming!” quacked Ducky happily.

"Yes! I see, I see!” croaked Froggy just as happily. "I knew you could do it!"

So Ducky and Froggy spent the rest of the day swimming and playing in the pond.

As the day came to an end, Froggy and Ducky sat on the waters edge resting.

Just then, Joyful Blue Jay flew over next to them.

“Hi, Froggy, hi, Ducky!” said Blue Jay.

“Hello, Blue Jay,” answered Ducky. "Guess what? I learned to swim today!"

“Good for you!” chattered Blue Jay, "I am very proud of you! You had the faith to try, and you saw that God was there to help you!"

"Yes, that is true!" agreed Ducky. After all, he was so much wiser now!

 Blue Jay said, "and maybe tomorrow, I will teach you to fly!”

“What! Fly! I can't fly!” squawked Doubtful Ducky.

Froggy and Blue Jay smiled at each other.

Matthew Abrahams