THOU SHALL NOT KILL
Maggie’s family is not religious in the usual church-going way. The Marvels are a family of very nice people who help others, and mind their own business with equal gusto.
Maggie’s religious leanings is a different story altogether. Her Mom will tell you, Maggie came out of the womb praising God with two-fisted fervor.
As far back as anyone can remember Maggie prayed. As a baby she would close her little eyes, clasp her little hands and lay peacefully like a little angel.
Maggie was barely seventeen months when she started talking. You won’t believe it, but both Mr. Marvel and Mrs. Marvel swear it’s true, the first word from Maggie’s little lips was “Elohim.”
Surely a toddler who speaks God’s name in the ancient holy language is a special child of God. Then again aren’t we all?
Maggie has always had a remarkable bond with the Lord which influences her every thought and propels her every movement. It’s like she was born with a biblical perspective. For one thing she instinctively knows it is wrong to kill.
It was a glorious spring day, first of April. Mr. Marvel was putting the screens back in the windows after a long winter. A wasp lazily flew in to the bedroom where Maggie sat on the pink rug in front of her crib.
She felt the impending death of the wasp even before Mr. Marvel softly swatted it with a rolled up catalogue. Maggie gasped. And she began to wail like a new widow.
Maggie carried on for quite some time. Momma Marvel came bounding in the room to see what happened. The worried parents tried to console their little girl. At this point they had no idea what was causing Maggie such pain.
When her crying stopped Maggie was sad. Then her parents saw what was becoming a familiar sight. Little Maggie was praying. Eyes closed. Hands clasped. Mouth moving with no sound coming out.
Maggie’s grieving ended with her prayers. The wasp’s soul had gone home to God as the toilet flush carried the squashed insect to a watery burial.
“Thou Shall Not Kill” is a value Maggie takes seriously. And when there is a death among the critters of the earth, Maggie mourns. Tears of sorrow are a result of Maggie’s highly tuned compassion, rivaled only by her tears of joy which come when she experiences the happiness of others.
And so Maggie walks gently upon this Earth. She is careful to observe God’s commandments, not because she learned them in Sunday school, but because she lives them each and every day, in every Godly way.
By Susan Diamond
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