Ollie the Owl Learns about the Word of God - A Children's Story

  

Ollie the Owl Learns about the Word of God

By Bill Conley
America’s Favorite Children’s Storyteller

Moral of the Story:
In the beginning, there was the Word, and the Word was God. God’s Word brings light into every shadow. Jesus is the living Word, sent to guide us into truth.
When we know the Word, we come to know God Himself. The Bible is more than a book; it is a living message of love. Every promise, every verse, breathes life into our hearts. When we read God’s Word, we grow in faith and understanding.
The Word was, is, and always will be, for God’s truth never ends.

High in the forest, where moonlight kissed the treetops, lived Ollie the Owl. He was wise beyond his years and loved to read the old scrolls kept deep within the hollow of the ancient oak. While most animals slept through the night, Ollie stayed awake, curious about the mysteries of heaven and earth.

One evening, as a gentle wind stirred the leaves, Ollie found a scroll he had never seen before. The parchment was old, the ink slightly faded, but one line gleamed as if written by light itself: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.”

Ollie tilted his head. “How can the Word be God?” he whispered. The words filled his heart with wonder and stirred something deep within him. He decided to ask his friend, Pastor Bear, who taught the animals about God every Sunday morning in the meadow.

The next day, as the sun rose over the forest, Ollie flew down to where Pastor Bear stood before a small wooden cross. “Pastor Bear,” he began, “I read something in the scrolls last night that I can’t stop thinking about. It says, ‘In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.’ What does that mean?”

Pastor Bear smiled gently. “Ah, Ollie, that verse is one of the greatest truths ever written. It tells us that Jesus has always existed, before time, before the stars, before the earth. He is the Word of God made flesh.”

Ollie’s eyes widened. “So Jesus is the Word?”

“Yes,” said Pastor Bear. “When God spoke, His Word brought everything into being: light, life, and love. That same Word became a person, Jesus, who came to show us who God really is.”

Ollie perched on a log, thinking deeply. “So when I read the Word, I’m learning about Jesus?”

“That’s right,” Pastor Bear said. “The Bible isn’t just words on a page. It’s God’s voice, still speaking, still alive. It guides us, comforts us, and brings light to our hearts.”

That night, as the stars glittered like diamonds, Ollie flew to the top of the highest tree. He looked over the world and thought about how everything began with God’s Word, the rivers, the trees, the mountains, and the moon. Every part of creation spoke of His love.

Suddenly, he noticed a group of fireflies flickering in the darkness below. Their tiny lights danced across the forest floor, shining even in the shadows. “That’s it!” Ollie hooted softly. “The Word is like light in the darkness. Even a little bit of it changes everything.”

He decided he would share this truth with all his friends.

The next morning, Ollie called a meeting of the forest animals. The squirrels scurried in, the rabbits hopped close, the deer gathered near, and even the shy fox peeked from behind a bush. “Friends,” Ollie began, “I’ve learned something wonderful. God’s Word was there from the very beginning. It is alive and full of light. When we read it and believe it, that light lives inside us.”

The animals listened closely. “So, the Bible is God’s Word?” asked Daisy the Deer.

“Yes,” said Ollie. “Every story, every verse, tells us about God’s love through Jesus.”

Pastor Bear stepped forward and added, “That’s why we must keep His Word in our hearts. When we do, we carry His light everywhere we go.”

That evening, when darkness settled again, Ollie gathered his friends beneath the stars for something special. He opened the old scroll and began to read aloud: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.”

As he read, the wind seemed to hush, and the stars shimmered brighter. Every animal could feel the warmth of truth in those words. The air felt alive with peace.

Ollie closed the scroll and said, “The Word is more than sound. It is life itself. It tells us that Jesus has always been here, that He is the light, and that He is love.”

The little fireflies returned, glowing all around them like tiny lanterns. Ollie smiled and whispered, “See? Even the smallest light can shine for God.”

From that night forward, every animal in the forest made time to listen, read, or share God’s Word. They found comfort in the Psalms, joy in the Gospels, and wisdom in the Proverbs. And whenever anyone felt afraid or lost, Ollie would remind them, “Remember, the Word was with God, and the Word was God. And that Word lives in you.”

As the years passed, Ollie became known as the forest’s teacher of light. He continued reading under the moon’s glow, his heart always at peace, his eyes lifted to the heavens. And each time he opened the ancient scroll, the words filled him with the same awe he felt the very first time.

He finally understood that God’s Word is eternal, powerful, and alive, not just to be read but to be lived.

Poem:

Before the world began to spin,
The Word of God had always been.
Through Him came light; through Him came life.
He calms the storm; He ends all strife.

The Word was there, both near and far,
The voice that spoke to each shining star.
When we believe and trust His way,
His light will guide us every day.

Discussion Questions:

1.     What does it mean that Jesus is called “the Word of God”?

2.     How can reading the Bible help you feel closer to God?

3.     In what ways can you share God’s light and truth with others, just like Ollie the Owl did?