It’s impossible to count how many wardrobes and closets I explored as a kid. Stretching my fingers all the way to the back…reaching…reaching…

The disappointment of my fingers finding solid wood instead of a lamppost…

My quests in search of another hidden passage into Narnia would eventually come to an end. Chalk it up to ‘maturing’ or ‘growing up’ but if I see an old wardrobe at an antique mall or a garage sale, I still reach my hand to the back. Just in case.

The Chronicles of Narnia captured my heart and imagination. I wanted a pet mouse because of Reepicheep. I risked my life staying up late with the covers over my head trying to keep the light of the flashlight from escaping. I just had to get to the next chapter. Okay, one more chapter. Okay. Seriously… This is the last one.

I introduced my kids to Aslan, Lucy, Peter, Edmund and Prince Caspian. I loved watching them become consumed by the adventure. I even ignored the glow of flashlights leaking out from the bottom of their bedroom door after bedtime.

This is the beauty of children’s stories. They open up worlds, possibilities. They plant tiny seeds of hope and values and passion inside the imagination of a child.

So what in the world could be dangerous about a children’s story?

Seeing them only as children’s stories.

A good children’s story has layers. There will be a depth to the story that speaks to deeper issues, that pushes the adults to wrestle with things that maybe they don’t really want to wrestle with. If we only look at the children’s story as a children’s story, we will miss it. We can’t let the simplicity fool us.

I feel that way about Blotch. It’s a simple story. It is easy to read, easy to grasp, and kids love it. But nestled in the simplicity are deep truths to wrestle with: Sin, Forgiveness, Redemption, Salvation. Truths that, if we allow them, will not only challenge us but hopefully inspire us to be transformed.

We wrap up the book this coming Sunday in an unique way. In the book, Blotch finally meets someone who can actually do something about the blotches. If you haven’t been keeping up, no worries. Come anyway. We’ll get you up to speed. We’ve got a meaningful conclusion planned. It’s going to be awesome.

In the meantime, maybe it’s time for us ‘old people’ to rediscover the joy and wonder of children’s stories and to read them with a different set of eyes, looking deeper for those riches that are there for us as well.