Cody the Chameleon Learns about God’s Creation - A Children's Story

  

Cody the Chameleon Learns about God’s Creation

By Bill Conley
America’s Favorite Children’s Storyteller

Moral of the Story:
In the beginning, God created everything we see and everything we cannot see. The beauty of the world shows His imagination and love. Every creature, every tree, and every star was made with a purpose. God made the light and called it good; He made us and called us very good. We are each part of His masterpiece, special in our own way. The wonders of nature remind us that God is near. Creation teaches us to be thankful for life and to care for what He made. God spoke, and the world came to life, a perfect gift of love.

In the middle of a colorful jungle filled with tall trees and singing birds, lived a curious little chameleon named Cody. Cody could change colors to match the world around him, bright green in the leaves, sandy brown on the dirt, or sky blue when he looked up toward heaven.

Cody loved exploring the forest, but one question often filled his mind. “Where did all of this come from?” he wondered as he looked at the flowers, the rivers, and the stars that twinkled at night.

One morning, while Cody was perched on a low branch, he saw Grandpa Tortoise reading from a big, old book under a mango tree. “Good morning, Grandpa Tortoise!” Cody called. “What are you reading?”

Grandpa smiled. “I’m reading the very first words of the Bible, my boy, the story of how everything began.”

Cody’s eyes widened. “Everything? Even me?”

“Even you,” said Grandpa. “Would you like to hear it?”

Cody nodded eagerly and climbed closer.

Grandpa cleared his throat and began, “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. The earth was empty and dark, but the Spirit of God moved over the waters. Then God said, ‘Let there be light,’ and there was light.”

Cody gasped. “So the light came just because God said it?”

“That’s right,” Grandpa said. “God spoke, and creation came alive. He made the day and the night, the oceans and the land, the sun, the moon, and the stars. He filled the sky with birds, the sea with fish, and the land with animals. And then, He made people to care for everything He created.”

Cody looked around the jungle. “Wow,” he whispered. “That means the trees, the rivers, even the tiniest ant, they all came from God’s imagination!”

“Yes,” said Grandpa. “And God said it was good. Everything He made had purpose and beauty, just like you.”

Cody thought about that all afternoon. He watched the bees buzz from flower to flower and the clouds drift across the sky. “God made all of this,” he said softly. “And He made me too.”

Later that evening, as the stars appeared, Cody decided to take a walk to the river. The moon reflected on the surface like silver glass. He looked up at the heavens and whispered, “Thank You, God, for making the world so beautiful, and for making me part of it.”

Suddenly, he heard a faint sob behind a tree. It was Bella the Butterfly, her wings drooping sadly.

“Bella, what’s wrong?” Cody asked gently.

“My wings,” she sighed. “They’re so small and plain. I wish I looked like a peacock or a parrot. They’re so much prettier.”

Cody smiled kindly. “Do you know what Grandpa Tortoise told me today? God made everything exactly the way it’s meant to be, even you. He gave you your colors and your wings for a reason. You were part of His plan before the world even began.”

Bella looked up. “Really?”

“Really,” Cody said. “And God said everything He made was good. That means you, too.”

The butterfly’s eyes sparkled as she fluttered her wings. “I guess I am part of His creation, aren’t I?”

“You sure are,” said Cody. “And so am I.”

That night, the two friends sat together under the starlit sky, marveling at the beauty around them. Cody noticed how each star shone differently, how every breeze carried its own song, and how every creature seemed to have a purpose.

In that quiet moment, Cody felt close to God, the Creator who made the stars, the trees, the butterflies, and even chameleons that could change colors to blend into His masterpiece.

The next morning, Cody told all his jungle friends about what he had learned. “God made the world and called it good,” he said. “He made the sun to shine, the rain to fall, and the rivers to flow. He made each of us unique, with a purpose that fits perfectly into His plan.”

The animals listened with joy and awe. The elephants trumpeted, the monkeys clapped, and the birds sang louder than ever. It was as if the whole jungle was praising God together.

From that day on, Cody started each morning with a prayer. He would look around and whisper, “Thank You, Lord, for the gift of Your creation, for light, for life, and for love.”

And every time he changed colors, he remembered that God had made him that way for a reason, a living reflection of the Creator’s imagination.

Poem:

In the beginning, God spoke light,
And stars were scattered through the night.
The seas were deep, the skies were wide,
Creation bloomed on every side.

He made the beasts, both great and small,
And said with joy, “I love them all.”
Each heart, each leaf, each grain of sand,
It was shaped and formed by His own hand.

Discussion Questions:

1.     What did Cody learn about how the world and all living things were created?

2.     How does knowing God made everything help us appreciate nature and others?

3.     What are some ways you can thank God for His creation today?