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Sabastian and Susan played in the sand for quite some time.  They built a sandcastle, took their shoes off and wandered in the water, and skipped stones Susan collected from the park.  Although he enjoyed himself Sabastian couldn't stop thinking about Susan's fascination with God.

It seemed a weighty topic for such a young girl to willingly discuss.  What was so impressive, though, was the authority with which she spoke.  It was as if her knowledge was first hand.  As if she knew God.

While playing Sabastian occasionally asked questions.  "Who is the other one?" was the first.

"The one you don't talk about," she answered, never stopping what she was doing.

"You mean the devil?"

"That's what some people call him."

Later, he asked, "So both God and the devil are watching us?"

"Sorta.  They watch us sometimes, but mostly they send others."

"Like angels and demons?"

"Sorta."

"Does everyone get watched?"

"Of course," Susan answered absently, as she played with the sand.

"So everyone has an angel and a demon?"

"No, most of the time the watchers look after lots of people."

"Most of the time?"

"Yeah, we're different."

"How?"

"God has a special plan for us."

"What is God's plan?"

"I don't know."

"Is the devil trying to stop us?"

Susan stopped, looked up at Sabastian and said, "No.  God's plan is the devil's plan."

"How can that be?" he asked.

Going back to what she was doing, Susan said, "God made everything.  How could it not be?"

"But if God is good and the devil is bad, how could they have the same plan?"

"Who said the devil was bad?  He's just part of the plan."

"Can you see the angels and demons?"

"If they want me to see them, but they're not like you think."

"What do you mean?"

"Angels and demons are just names we've created.  Demons aren't bad and angels aren't good, and they don't really look much different from each other.  Not like we think, anyway."

"So angels aren't good?"

"Well," Susan said, stopping what she was doing, "they are good, but not like you think.  I mean, they do God's will.  I guess that makes them good.  But demons do God's will, too, so they're good, too.  I guess."

"I thought demon's served the devil."

"They do, but the devil isn't bad.  He's just doing his job.  Like the demons are doing theirs. It doesn't make them bad.  They're just doing a job."

"Like us?  Like God's plan for us?"

"Well, we have a choice.  They don't.  We don't have to do what God wants."

"Free will," Sabastian stated.

"Yeah," Susan said, dusting herself off.  "I wanna go home and see Sol, he's back."

Sabastian sensed that Susan no longer wanted to talk about God, so he relented and the pair walked back toward the town. He noted, however, that he was left with more questions than when he started.




[Copyright Reuben Gregg Brewer, 2005, 2006. All rights reserved.]