Published 11/24/19
By Greg Johnson
What If...
You’ve lived next door to Amy ever since you can remember. You went through kindergarten and most of grade school together. But in fourth grade, Amy’s parents got a divorce. Her dad moved out one day and now Amy only sees him about once a month. Amy’s mom tried hard to keep family life normal, including going back to work to keep the house. Unfortunately, Amy’s dad wasn’t too consistent with his child support payments, so they eventually had to sell their home and move to an apartment.
Amy still goes to the same school as you, so you see her every day, but you notice she’s changed. She brings these books about magic and the supernatural to school all the time and reads them at recess and lunch. She doesn’t play anymore; she mainly keeps to herself. When she does talk, it’s always about the latest book she’s read or another scary movie she’s seen at her dad’s house while watching HBO.
To try to see what’s going on, you invite her to your birthday sleep-over with a few other girls. When she gets there, she’s got this big backpack and a sleeping bag. “Have I got a game for us later after your parents go to bed,” she says. Amy seems agitated the whole time she’s at your house; she even reads while the rest of the girls and you go play sardines. About 11 P.M., after Mom and Dad go to bed (with instructions that lights out will be 1 A.M.–if everything stays quiet), she pulls out this thing called an Ouija Board. She starts explaining how it works, turns out the lights and turns on a flashlight.
Before she can get started, Dad comes down. When he sees what’s going on, he puts the board back in the box and says Amy can take it with her in the morning. Then he says, “Lights out.”
Questions to Think On
• Amy has filled her mind with some pretty bad stuff since her dad left. Who do you think she is being influenced by?
• When you’re in grade school, you rarely see Satan working behind the scenes to ruin someone’s life. As you get older, it becomes more obvious. What do you know about Satan?
• Though it’s not good to dwell on him, it is a good idea to know how he works. Mom and Dad, explain how his influence starts in the mind and then works its way to behavior.
• Mom and Dad: What else do you know about Satan’s plans for humans, God’s unique creation?
What Does God Have to Say?
Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.
The Lord will rescue me from every evil attack and will bring me safely to his heavenly kingdom.
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