Children’s Pages Issue 76

Aidan was a quiet, thoughtful young man. His brother, Ian, liked being outdoors and being active in sports more than Aidan did. Even though he enjoyed playing with his brother, Aidan wasn’t that good at sports. But Aidan loved to read

and to make up his own stories.

 

One day Aidan was reading in the bedroom that he and Ian shared. He had finished reading a story that he had really enjoyed, and creative ideas had begun to dance around in his 11 year- old mind. He grabbed a pencil and some paper and began to write a story of his own. He wrote, scratching out things he didn’t like, as more and more creative ideas came to him.

 

Just as he was about to write the last part of the story, Ian came into the room. Ian laughed when he saw what Aidan was doing. “Writing again?” Ian stated somewhat mockingly; “It’s a great day outside and you’re in your room — just writing. What for? You could be playing baseball with me!” exclaimed Ian.

 

Aidan had really enjoyed writing his story, but he liked playing ball with Ian, too, so he quickly folded the paper and stuck it under his pillow. He was a little afraid to admit that it was ok to be a writer. So, the story went forgotten for the rest of the day as he went out to play.

 

At bedtime, Mom and Dad came in to the boys’ room to read a scripture with the boys, as usual, before they said their prayers and went to sleep. This time, Dad chose the scripture. He read from Matthew 25:13-30 where Jesus tells the parable about the master who gave talents to his servants. Two were good servants; one received five talents and the other servant, two talents. The parable told of how they used the talents well and even gained more. But the third, a slothful servant who received just one talent, hid it in the earth because he was afraid, and therefore had nothing to show for what the Lord had given him.

 

After the scripture reading, prayer, and lights out, Aidan thought hard about the scripture his dad had just shared. He could feel the scrunched-up story under his pillow and suddenly he felt ashamed.

 

Aidan reached under his pillow and straightened out the crumpled paper. With his flashlight in one hand and his pencil in the other, he finished the story. He liked it! He decided that it should not be hidden, so he would share it the next day with whomever wanted to listen.

 

As he drifted off to sleep, he felt like he had finished something that would be very important to him someday. He knew that if he kept writing and not hiding his talent, the Lord would use his talent, and he might even be given more talents to share with others.