Psalm 23 to a 7-Year-Old

Jonny, a 7-year-old who was no stranger to misbehavior, accompanied his mom one day for a visit to his grandparent's house. His mom wrestled with how she could keep him occupied during their visit and remembered the rocking chair in her parents' bedroom.

They arrived, and Jonny's grandmother answered the front door and exchanged pleasantries with showering hugs and kisses. Grandpa was confined to a bed with failing health.

"Jonny, why don't you say hello to Grandpa? He is in the bedroom," his mother asked, with a pat on his head.

"Okay," Jonny answered, in a patronizing tone. Jonny's shuffled over to the bedroom and waved a hello to his grandpa. His grandpa motioned him over, and they embraced with the old man's whiskers scratching the boy's face.

Jonny eyeballed the rocking chair and hopped on. His mom hoped the rocking chair would be enough stimulation to provide at least a half hour of talk time with her mom.

Jonny was in full rock mode as his grandpa, per his daytime ritual, read from his leather bound bible and wearing an off-white zucchetto on his head.

As Jonny's was lulled by the rhythm of the chair, his grandpa began reciting from his bible.

"The Lord is my shepherd. I shall not want..." his grandpa rasped and further orated. Jonny  popped a side-eye at Grandpa that broke his rocking rhythm.

"Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I fear no evil, for You are with me..."

"I am with you, Grandpa, as you walk through the valley of the shadow of death?" Jonny's asked, as he forced the rocking chair to a stop.

"Huh?" his grandpa responded, breaking his contemplation on the good book.

Jonny didn't press the question and continued his rocking motion until the steady creaking of the chair spiraled him into mental fantasy.

Jonny saw a vision of his grandpa, no longer immobilized, walking along a dark path with echoes of eerie moans surrounding him. Jonny saw himself in the bleak scene, divided by an unknown force, on the outside looking in. Jonny's eyes squinted to see an aura of glowing bright white light overshadowing his grandpa as Jesus appeared. His grandpa felt the warmth of the Lord as His hand grasped his grandpa's and led the old man toward the light. Jonny saw himself trying to encroach further, only for Jesus to look back at him with loving eyes that the little boy understood that his grandpa would be okay.

Jonny's dream came to an end, and he manually stopped the rocking chair with his feet. "Grandpa, when you said you, you meant Jesus."

"Huh?" his grandpa asked, with a wrinkled face.

"Jesus is with you when you walk through the valley," Jonny beamed.

His grandpa smiled at the little boy's summation. "Yes, Jonny. When I said you, I meant Jesus." Grandpa answered softly. His daughter entered the room and was surprised to see the two in pleasant spirits.

"My grandson can show a touch of poor conduct at times, but he is also blessed with a touch of wisdom," Grandpa commented in reflection.