BUTCH: Dad, I really had a good day today in school.
DAD: I'm glad you did. Was there anything special about it?
BUTCH: As a matter of fact there was. It was the swings on the playground.
DAD: What made the swings special?
BUTCH: You see, over the weekend they had repaired them and Johnny and I decided to try them out.
DAD: I was wondering when they would get them repaired, they were dangerous the way they were.
BUTCH: As we were running over to the swings I noticed that one swing was higher then the other. That was the swing I wanted.
DAD: Why did you want the high swing?
BUTCH: I figured that the high swing would go higher than the low one.
DAD: You did. What did you find out?
BUTCH: No matter how hard I pumped, no matter how hard I tried, I couldn't get my swing as high as Johnny got his.
DAD: And you are wondering why that is so. Do you want me to tell you?
BUTCH: Yes, it really is bugging me.
DAD: You see, Butch, the lower swing has longer chains than the higher one. It swings out further and higher than the higher swing with the shorter chains.
BUTCH: Now that you explained it, it makes sense.
DAD: You know, that is the way God works.
BUTCH: God works like a swing?
DAD: Yes, Butch, He sort of does. Most people in the world today think they will be happy with the biggest, or the first of something, or the best or the most things in life.
BUTCH: You mean like the guy down the street who is always buying a new car to stay ahead of everybody else on the block?
DAD: That's right, Butch. I'm surprised you noticed. But the Bible doesn't teach the the biggest, best or most is what happiness is based on.
BUTCH: What does it teach, Dad?
DAD: It tells us that as Christians we should think of others before ourselves. Just like the low swing lifted Johnny high in the air, God will lift us up if we humble ourselves and put others first.
BUTCH: That is really important, Dad. Thanks for sharing it with us. See you later. Bye boys and Girls.
DAD: Take care, Butch, and we will see all of you later. Bye everybody.
