Devotionals

Joey Had It Right

by Anne Adams
07/01/26
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Jesus said unto him, “I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life; no man cometh unto the Father, but by Me.

 John 14:6 (KJV)

“Did you have a good time at choir practice?” Sue looked up from her dinner preparation to see her small son Joey came hopping into the kitchen. “What did you do?”

To her relief he seemed enthusiastic. After all, she’d been somewhat anxious since this would be his first time at children’s choir rehearsal at their church and she hoped he like it. Especially since it was just a few weeks before Christmas.

“Yeah, it was fun!” Joey stripped off his backpack. “We had cookies! And you know what? We learned a new song.” The words poured out. “It’s about where Jesus was born in a barn and since they didn’t a bed for him they put him in a box that was made for cow food – it’s called a manger. We’re singing it on Sunday.”

 “That’s great. Now go wash up for supper. Daddy will be home soon.” Sue told him as bounced down the hall.

 Then as Joey skipped into the bathroom and amidst the sounds of splashing water, Sue heard him begin to sing. Probably the song they’d been rehearsing, Sue thought, as she continued to prepare dinner. But suddenly she paused. Something seemed wrong and then as she identified the melody she realized that it was the first words he was singing that made it seem unusual. Joey’s song was certainly “Away in a Manger” but he was actually singing “The way in a manger…”

Though Joey probably didn’t understand the words he was using actually he was right. After all, the baby in the manger was “the way” not only to salvation through his death and resurrection, also to a deeper understanding of God’s character. After all, what better “way” for God to show how much He loved us, than to give a gift of himself?