Monkey Bars

"What you have said in the dark will be heard in the daylight, and what you have whispered in the ear in the inner rooms will be proclaimed from the roofs" -- or in my case, from the monkey bars (Luke 12:3, NIV -- except for the last eight words, of course).

I had heard about Robbie Beavers from my fellow first-grade classmates since the beginning of school. But I had not yet seen him. It's one thing to hear others talk about how big a guy is...it's another thing to see him up close.

I had also heard that Robbie had his eye on Mandy Stephens. He was seen making "googly-eyes" at her in the cafeteria. Mandy was MY girlfriend. It didn't matter that she wasn't aware of it or that she might have vehemently disagreed.

I told a close friend in confidence that I was going to have to beat Robbie up if he continued to pursue my girl.

It stayed just between us buddies until recess. That's when he used the monkey bars as a stage and blabbed my threats against Robbie to the entire playground.

I was playing by the swings, unaware of the public announcement, when I saw Robbie standing in front of me. He was obviously aware of the announcement.

"Huge" doesn't describe what I saw. A first grader with hair on his chest. It wasn't even five o'clock yet, but he had a beard shadow. He was a boy trapped in a college football player's body. He had muscles where I had bones.

I was stunned. Speechless. Mouth draped open. If I said anything at all, it had to have been, "Mommy!" If I'd HAD a backbone, all of my blood would have been hiding behind it.

Thankfully, Robbie was a reasonable man-child. I lied and begged my way out of the "misunderstanding" and we became good friends. "Mandy? Who's Mandy? I don't know any 'Mandy.'" It's amazing how pliable love is in the first grade.

Numbers 32:23 says, "Be sure your sins will find you out." Mine did. I whispered something in secret and it met me on the playground within hours.

So I feel I must warn you. Your playground is just around the corner. Your "Robbie" may not be so understanding. Keep that in mind before whispering things you don't want published from the monkey bars.

Sorry Mandy,
Perry Crisp