Parable of the Candy Store

The small bell at the top of the door frame rang when little Julia entered the Candy Store. She took three steps in and brushed back her dark hair that was blown about from the breeze outside. She looked to her left and right and marveled at the wide selection of candies in the glass cases, and also those stored in the canister jars on the counter. She was only four years old and she lived for candy! But she rarely got to eat any except on special occasions.
The store proprietor, Mrs. Gundermann, kind of waddled out from the back room like one of the geese Julia had seen at the lakefront. The old lady was very soft spoken and she enjoyed how Julia’s eyes were taking in the sights of her store. “Would you like to taste a few samples so you can make up your mind?” Julia’s eyes grew even wider as she warmed to the prospect of tasting the candy.
Mrs. Gundermann opened one of the canisters and handed a small piece of paper with tiny candy dots on it to Julia. ”You know that each of these candies has a story and a purpose that goes with them. The candy you are eating now is all in lines on the paper. It reminds me how children are attached to our family and our parents to keep us in order. Do your father and mother love you a lot?” Julia nodded.
The next candy that Mrs. Gundermann offered required lots of chewing. “That is a piece of Turkish Taffy. The candy is pulled back and forth many times when they are making it. That reminds me how we are often pulled into doing things we shouldn’t do. The Apostle Paul said that even he had such troubles because the things he knew he shouldn’t do, he keeps on doing.” Mrs. Gundermann set out a cold glass of water for Julia so that she could wash the sweetness down before trying another candy.
“Here is one called ‘red hot’. Be sure to keep the glass of water close by because this one will remind you of how hot it might be in hell if you don’t obey God and follow Him every day.
After tasting the ‘red hot’ for only a few seconds, Julia spit the candy back out into a napkin that Mrs. Gundermann offered. “I don’t like that one,” said Julia.
“Here is one that you will like better. You can even choose what color you want to try. It is called a “life saver’. Julia picked the green one from Mrs. Gundermann’s hand. “That’s what Jesus is for each of us. When we were in a mess, He came and died for us on a cross and if we believe in Him, we can go to heaven one day.”
“That’s where my Grandpa lives now,” replied Julia as she sucked on the life saver.
Mrs. Gundermann opened a small box of candy from under the counter. “This is one of my favorites. I even enjoyed them when I was your age. They are called ‘Good and Plenty.’” She showed several of the pink and white candies to Julia. “There was a little song we used to sing about this candy: ‘Once upon a time there was an engineer, Choo Choo Charlie was his name, we hear. He had an engine and he sure had fun, He used Good and Plenty candy to make his train run.’” Mrs. Gundermann made each of the candies move along like a little train across the edge of her glass counter and deposited them into the waiting mouth of Julia. “You know, God gives us good and plenty of all that we need each day. He gives us food to eat, clothes to wear, houses to live in, and He never stops loving us!”
“What is the funny taste of this candy?” Julia said as she enjoyed this new treat.
Mrs. Gundermann explained, “That’s the taste of licorice. It is put in a lot of my candies. It comes from the sweet root of a plant that grows way on the other side of the world. Some people say that it is sweeter than honey. I know something else that is sweeter than honey. A beautiful song written in the Bible says that ‘How sweet are thy words unto my taste!’ God’s words are always so sweet! It feels so good to know that God loves each of us and has a special plan for us to be with Him forever.”
Mrs. Gundermann’s wrinkled hands trembled a bit as she began filling a bag with different kinds of candy for Julia. She included some root beer flavored hard candy, bubble gum, “tootsie rolls”, and tiny wax syrup bottles. With each piece, she told another little story about how the candy told us something about God. She handed the bag to Julia but then the little girl looked downcast.
Julia was quiet for a moment but then replied, “I am sorry. But I don’t have any money. I just came in to look. I am sorry that I took those samples of your candy.”
Mrs. Gundermann smiled, “Lots of people are only curious about God, and they just take a peek at Him. But then God takes them into his arms and loves them.” Mrs. Gundermann came around the counter and gave Julia a hug. “I knew you didn’t have any money when you came in. You know that the great prophet Isaiah said that we would be able to come and eat with no money. Isaiah was telling people that Jesus would give us eternal life and we don’t have to pay for it because Jesus has paid everything Himself. I want you to have this bag of candy today to remind you that Jesus is our free gift from the Father in heaven.”
Julia looked up and smiled back at the kindly store keeper. She reached out her hand to take the small bag of candy from Mrs. Gundermann. “My mother said that you were her favorite Sunday School teacher.” Julia waved with the candy bag in her hand as she opened the door to leave.
Mrs. Gundermann laughed a little. “I can see why. I remember your mother. You look just as precious as your mother did when she was your age.”