One year on Mardi Gras day I took my, then, three-year-old daughter to a parade in New Orleans. I put her on my shoulders and ran alongside the floats as she shouted the traditional Mardi Gas shout, “Throw me something, mister.” She was racking up some awesome trinkets and was having the time of her life.
In those days not every parade had barriers in place to prevent people from getting too close to the moving floats. Suddenly the crowd turned rowdy and began to push into us. I lost my balance as the crowd continued to push us forward. I tumbled to the ground and my daughter flew off my shoulders and landed under a moving float. No one else seemed to notice as the crowd continued jumping around screaming, “Throw me something, mister.”
As I struggled to crawl through the crowd to find my daughter. I caught a glimpse of rolling tires only inches away from crushing her head. I grabbed her ankles and yanked her out from under the float. The asphalt scraped her body every inch of the way.
Our bodies trembled as we fought our way out of the crowd. We finally made our way to the safety of the curb and our family. Everyone wanted to know what had happened, but I was so shaken I couldn’t speak.
As I sat there, I realized that I had almost lost the thing I loved the most in this world chasing after cheap junk. Every Mardi Gras season I share my experience, along with the valuable spiritual message I learned from that day, with my grandchildren and friends.
Everything in life is like cheap junk compared to knowing Jesus Christ and being in the right relationship with God. Everything, careers, money, cars, talent. “For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?” Mt 16:26 NKJ
I often ask children, “do you remember a Christmas that you begged for a particular toy? What was it? Where is it now?” Then I tell them that, “all of their childhood toys will seem like junk compared to the things they’ll desire as adults”.
If heaven is more valuable than anything else in the world, how do we get there? We must become born again by accepting Jesus into our hearts.
I tell children that becoming a child of God is as easy as your ABC’S plus G.
B: Believe: Jesus is God’s son. He died on the cross for our sins and rose again on the third day. He is in heaven and will return one day.
C: Confess our sins. We were born into a sinful world, and we all have sinful nature. All of us have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. Tell God you are sorry for your sins and ask to be forgiven.
A: Ask Jesus into our hearts. Put Him at the throne of your heart. That means to love Him more than money, talent, success, or friends.
G: Give your life to the Lord. By obeying His word, listening to His voice, and following Him.
Lead Children in a Prayer of Salvation
Dear Heavenly Father, I come to in the name of Jesus, the only way I can. Lord, I know I was born into a sinful world, and I have sinned against you. Please forgive me of all my sins.
I believe Jesus is your Son and that He died on the cross for me and rose again on the third day. He is in heaven and will return one day.
Jesus, I ask you to come into my heart and make it your home.