"A Fishy Story for Parents"

“A Fishy Story for Parents” 

“Dear children, keep away from anything that might take God’s place in your hearts.”  1 John 5:21 (NLT)

Parents, please take the time to read this story because it can be a great help to those of you who are raising children of all ages. And have your children who are old enough to understand it, also read it.

Once upon a time in the coastal waters of a country called Australia, was an amazing place called “The Great Barrier Reef”.  The reef was made up of many beautiful colors of coral.  Within the walls of the reef lived all different kinds of fish.  The fish that lived in these waters loved their home as it offered a safe and desirable place to live.            

One day a new couple moved into the neighborhood within the Great Barrier Reef.  Fred and Fanny were so happy to find such a wonderful, friendly place to live.  They planned on having a family someday and this neighborhood was well known for its great schools of fish.  Fred was a very hard worker and Fanny a wonderful homemaker.  They seemed to be the ideal couple.

Eventually Fred and Fanny had three children.  Their children were beautiful and talented.  They had the same problems all the fish families encountered.  There never seemed to be enough of everything to go around even though Fred worked very hard.  They felt cramped with three children, in their tiny home under the coral reef and dreamed of owning a larger, grander place someday. 

Their life as a whole was almost perfect except for one big worry.  As their children began to grow, they were very curious about what lay outside the Great Barrier Reef.  Fred and Fanny carefully explained all the dangers outside the reef and were satisfied that their children now understood, so they went on about their busyness.

Fred had become quite respected in the coral community and his work was very demanding.  Fanny helped out by watching some of the little fishes whose parents both worked.  She found it was difficult to watch so many little fishes still do all the things her own family required of her.  If her chores didn’t get done, Fanny just closed her eyes a little and then she didn’t even see the unfinished things.  When Fred came home from work, he was too tired to even notice.

Soon the two older fish children discovered that some of the other fishes were swimming out to the edge of the Great Barrier Reef.  It seemed very exciting to them and they wanted to join the other fish who were so daring.

The boy fish began talking about what he would do if he left home and traveled beyond the reef.  “It’s must be so wonderful on the other side that almost no one who goes there ever comes back.”

“Yes,” said another fish, “I heard of one who went and came back, but he would never talk about what he saw.  He always looks so sad that I’m sure he misses the wonderful things he saw and did.”

“When I get old enough,” said Fred and Fanny’s son, “I am going to swim far past the coral reef where no one can tell me what to do.”  With that, he swam as fast as he could to the very edge of the Great Barrier Reef.  Of course he swam back home and went into his room.

“How are you doing, son?” asked Fred when he arrived home that evening.

“Okay, Dad,” answered the boy fish who had become quiet and withdrawn lately. 

“Great,” said Fred, “well, I’ve got a lot to do, so we’ll talk later.”

The older girl fish came in, “Hi, Dad. Bye, Dad.  I’m meeting some of my fish friends down by the corals.”  Away she went.

Fred thought briefly about his two children and asked Fanny if she was sure everything was okay with them.  She told him she thought so, but was too busy to know and besides that they were old enough to take care of themselves.  Then she closed her eyes a little bit and tried to remember what she had been doing before Fred interrupted her.  Fred shook his head and closed his eyes a little more, then and went on about his busyness. 

One day, a friend went up to Fred.  “Hey, Fred, I know it’s none of my business, but one of my kids said they saw your kid swimming in and out of the holes at the edge of the reef.  He said there were rumors that your kid had actually swum right up to the edge.  Just thought you’d like to know about it.”

“Oh, yeah,” answered Fred, “it’s just a bunch of gossip; my kid wouldn’t do that.” Then he closed his eyes a little bit more.

That afternoon while Fanny was entertaining all the little fishes, a neighbor stopped in for a bit of algae.  During their conversation, the neighbor mentioned she had seen Fanny’s daughter with a bunch of fish friends.  “She was not behaving very well, Fanny. Can’t you see how she looks?  Why no decent fish in the coral would let their tail grow so long.  It’s.. It’s so suggestive.  Don’t you know the other fish are talking about her?  I saw her myself slithering up to one of those bug-eyed Orange Ruffy out near the edge of the reef.” 

Fanny became irate.  “How dare you say that about my daughter?  I want you to know she isn’t like that at all and she would never go near the Great Barrier Reef.  As for her tail, all the popular fish have them.” Then Fanny turned away and closed her eyes a little bit more.

“Well, well,” said Fanny’s neighbor, “I can see that you won’t believe anything anyone tells you.  I’m really sorry about that, because the reason I told you is not to spread gossip, but so you could keep your daughter out of trouble. There are a lot of fish who care what happens to her.  I’ll be leaving now.  Good bye!”

Soon fish from all over the reef were talking about Fred and Fanny’s fish children.  They were spending all their time on the edge of the reef, but Fred and Fanny wouldn’t listen, nor could they see what was happening to their family.  Soon, even their youngest fish girl became curious about those who were swimming on the edge of the reef.  She listened so much to her brother and sister fish that she began having thoughts of doing the same  things they did.

At last Fred and Fanny had closed their eyes to so much, they became totally blind.  Now this is exactly what their children hoped would happen.  With both of their fish parent’s blind, they could do anything they felt like doing, so everyday they swam closer and closer to the channel that led to the other side of the reef.  They began hanging out with the worst inhabitants of the reef – the dreadful jellyfish!   Whoever hung with them would soon get entangled in their poisonous tentacles.

The fish children were becoming more daring as the days went by.  They pulled things right in front of their parents and got away with it, because Fred and Fanny were both blind.

Who knew the dangers and pitfalls awaiting those on the other side of the reef?  Only one that left had ever come back and what happened was so dreadful he could never speak of it again.  If anyone ever mentioned the other side of the reef, his fins turned pale and his scales shook so hard they began to fall off. 

One time he got up enough courage to talk to Fred and told him to keep an eye on his young fish children, because if they ever went beyond the reef, and made it back, they would never be the same.  Then he turned and slowly swam away, looking very sad, indeed.

The End