Based on John 3:16
By Bill Conley
Moral to the Story:
God’s love is bigger than the oceans, wider than the skies.
He sent Jesus to show us how much we matter.
Anyone, no matter who they are, can believe in Him.
When we believe, we’re promised eternal life with Him forever.
Toby the Turtle wasn’t the fastest
swimmer in Lily Lake, but he might have been the most thoughtful.
While other turtles raced across
lily pads or played games in the reeds, Toby liked to float quietly near the
surface, watching clouds roll by and wondering about big things—like where
stars came from, why flowers always turned toward the sun, and how love worked.
One day, as Toby nibbled some
duckweed, his best friend Bella the Butterfly fluttered by.
“Hi, Toby!” she chirped. “Guess what
I heard today?”
“What?” Toby asked, blinking slowly.
“The old owl in the oak tree said
that God loves us, like, really loves us. More than anyone else in the world!”
Toby’s eyes widened. “Even turtles
like me?”
“Even turtles, frogs, bugs, birds,
everyone!” said Bella.
Toby tilted his shell. “How do you
know?”
“Because he said it came from a
verse in the Bible,” Bella explained. “It goes like this: ‘For God so loved
the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall
not perish but have eternal life.’ That’s John 3:16!”
Toby blinked again. “That sounds...
big.”
“It is!” Bella said, doing a little
loop-de-loop. “It means God’s love isn’t just for a few special animals. It’s
for everybody. Even slow turtles!”
Toby smiled, but he had questions.
“How can I know that for sure?”
“Why don’t you ask around?” said
Bella. “You’re good at that.”
And off she flew, leaving Toby to
paddle slowly toward the far end of the lake.
The first animal he saw was Felix
the Frog, who was practicing his triple jumps near the cattails.
“Hey, Felix,” said Toby, “do you
know about God’s love?”
Felix paused mid-jump. “Sure do! I
used to think I had to be perfect and never mess up, but then I heard that
verse—John 3:16. It says that God already loves me, even when I make
mistakes.”
Toby’s mouth turned into a slow
grin. “Even if you fall in the mud?”
“Especially then!” laughed Felix,
leaping high.
Next, Toby swam toward the sunny
rocks where Greta the Goose was teaching her goslings how to paddle.
“Miss Greta,” said Toby, “do you
believe that verse about God’s love?”
Greta nodded. “Oh yes. That verse
helped me when I was feeling alone after migrating back from the mountains. I
remembered it and felt warm inside.”
“Because of God’s love?” asked Toby.
Greta nodded again. “It’s for the
whole world, Toby. That means it’s for you, too.”
Toby felt a little flutter in his
chest, like Bella’s wings.
Later that evening, as the sun
turned the lake gold, Toby returned to his favorite rock and sat in silence.
“God… loves me?” he
whispered. “Even if I’m not fast or flashy?”
The wind rustled the reeds.
Toby looked up at the sky and
repeated the verse slowly:
“For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son…”
“That whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.”
He closed his eyes and whispered, “I
believe.”
Right then, a calm filled Toby’s
heart. He didn’t hear a loud voice or see flashing lights—but something had
changed. He felt peaceful. Known. Loved.
It was like his little turtle heart
was wrapped in sunshine.
From that day on, Toby became known
not just for asking big questions but for reminding others of big truths.
When Penny the Porcupine doubted if
she mattered, Toby reminded her, “God so loved the world!”
When Benny the Bunny felt like he
wasn’t brave enough, Toby said, “Whoever believes in Him shall not perish!”
And when even the wise old owl felt
weary, Toby finished the verse with a smile: “But have eternal life.”
The animals at Lily Lake started
calling him “Pastor Toby.” He didn’t mind. He just liked sharing what he now
knew for sure:
God’s love is for everyone.
Even turtles.
Especially turtles.
Moral Poem:
God so loved the world; that means He loves you.
No matter your color, your shape, or your view.
Believe in His Son, and you’ll never be lost—
He paid for your heart, no matter the cost.
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