God loves animals too! (Theological concerns of a 5-year-old at bedtime)

Tonight we enjoyed our normal routine, reading a bible story, singing bedtime songs, saying prayers and engaging a bit of end-of-the-day discussion. I had just completed a variation on"Whole World," emphasizing how God has us all in his hands and Josiah asserted that, "God loves the animals too!" I, the sagely father, always on the lookout for teachable moments, corrected him gently, "I'm sure that God cares about the animals and all of His creation, but he made us in His image..."

"And we rule over everything in the world," Ben interjected.

"But God loves all the animals! I want all the animals to live!" Josiah exclaimed.

Ben and I continued in our effort to assure Josiah of mankind's God-ordained position in the world, to which Josiah responded, his voice pitched with growing concern, "but I don't want my stuffed buddies to die!" and then he burst into tears, "I want my stuffed buddies in Heaven! I don't want to go to Heaven without my stuffed buddies!" The poor little guy was completely overwhelmed at the idea that he'd ever have to leave them behind. I pushed on in hopes that I could help him logic his way out of this ordeal...

And then Ben jumped back in, "And we'll visit the customer service desk and ask God why it rains right after we wash the car!" Imagine the sound of a young boy crying as he transitions to delightful, silly laughter :) The jokes bounced back and forth and in short order they were both laughing. At one point Josiah suggested hopefully, "At least I'll get to see God's face in Heaven!"

At some point during this kinderplation Josiah also explored the realities of growing up, "Grownups don't cuddle stuffed buddies." And in I dived! "But when you're a grown up and have kids then you can buy them stuffed buddies to love."

"Or maybe I'll get stuffed buddies anyway," he decided.