A Third for Tea

Cindy asks her Dad about Jesus at their weekly tea party.

         "Daddy, who is Jesus?" Cindy asked as she got ready for their weekly tea party.

         Sunday was Cindy's favorite day of the week. She got to have her Daddy all to herself for the whole afternoon.

         Her Daddy was her favorite person in the whole wide world. He knew just about everything.

         Cindy's friend, Jessica, had told her there is a good man named Jesus who is with us all the time. Cindy wanted to know more about him.

         While she waited for her Daddy to answer, she added another chair to the tiny table.

         "Who's the other chair for, Cindy?" her Daddy asked.

         "Its for Jesus. If he's with us all the time, it would be rude to leave him out."

         She put three plates and three tea cups around the table.

         Cindy looked at her Daddy and waited for him to answer before serving the pretend tea and cookies.

         He didn't answer her right away, though. His eyes got wet and he looked towards the door.

         "You're not leaving, are you Daddy? Are you having tea with me and Jesus?"

         Cindy started to worry.

         Her Daddy ran his hand through his hair.

         "Cindy, you are six years old..."

         "I know, Daddy. I'm a big girl now."

         "Yes, you are. But still, this is a hard thing to talk about. I am a scientist. People in my work have a different idea about how we're made."

         "You mean Jessica is saying Jesus made us? Did she tell me a whopper, Dad?"

         "Well, some people believe that Jesus' Father made us, yes. Others, like me, believe we came from apes. Its called the Theory of Evolution."

         "Daddy!" Cindy said, laughing, "Don't be silly! Apes are animals at the zoo. We don't look that scary!" She giggled at the thought of it, and shook her head as she poured three cups of pretend tea.

         "Would you like a cookie, Daddy?"

         His face softened and he said, "Why yes, I certainly would."

         Cindy placed a pretend cookie on his tiny plastic plate. She looked at the other chair and asked Jesus if he would care for a cookie.

         Her Father quietly watched. She took her time and placed two cookies on Jesus' plate.

         When Cindy looked back at her Daddy, she saw tears falling out of his eyes.

         "Do you want two cookies, Daddy? Don't be sad. You can have another one."

         "I'd love another of your cookies," he said, smiling through his tears.

         When it was time for their tea party to end, her Daddy sat down on the floor and pulled her into his lap.

         He said, "Cindy, I think its important to let people choose on their own what they believe. Starting next Sunday, I will take you to a place where you can learn all about Jesus."

         "On Sunday? No way, Dad. That's tea party day."

         "You can go in the morning and we can still have our tea party after lunch, like always."

         "What is the place called?"

         "Its called church. You can meet new friends your age and talk about Jesus. You can even talk to Jesus. Would you like that?"

         I'd like that a bunch, Daddy! Thank you!" she said and hugged him real tight.