There’s Great & There’s Awesome!

“Mmm. Dis is da best cheeseburger I’ve ever had!” Justin said around a mouthful of food.

“Justin, I’m glad you’re enjoying your burger.” His mom laughed. “But please don’t talk with your mouth full.”

Justin swallowed then said, “Sorry, Mom. But this cheeseburger is super great! It’s—”

“Awesome!” shouted Justin’s friend Jessie as she munched on her burger.

“Yeah, that’s it—awesome.” Justin opened his mouth wide for another bite.

“I’m not sure that’s quite the right word for a cheeseburger,” said Justin’s dad. “I’d say it’s delicious though.”

“But doesn’t awesome mean something that’s super great and wonderful?” Justin asked.

“Well, yes,” Dad replied.

“Then I think my cheeseburger is awesome.” Justin stuffed another bite into his mouth.

“Come on, kids,” said Mom. “We’ve got to go get seats for the movie.”

Justin and Jessie finished their burgers and followed Justin’s parents through the mall past the shops toward the movie theater.

“Let’s sit in the front row, Justin,” said Jessie, dragging him along. “These seats are awesome,” she said. The kids sat down and put their special 3D glasses on to get ready for the movie.

“Here’s the popcorn,” said Justin’s dad as he handed a bucket of popcorn to each of the kids.

“Awesome!” said Justin. “I love popcorn.”

“Me too,” Jessie agreed.

After the movie ended, Justin and Jessie stood up and stretched. “How’d you like the movie?” asked Justin’s mom.

“It was awesome!” both kids said at the same time, then laughed.

“I thought it was a fun movie, too,” said Dad. “But I wouldn’t say it was awesome.”

Justin and Jessie chattered all the way home. “The best part of the movie was the slimy explosion, and my glasses made it seem like it was going to spray all over me!”

“Yeah! 3D movies are the best.”

From the front seats in the van, Justin’s mom and dad heard the kids and looked at each other, shaking their heads. “They just don’t get it, do they?” Dad said.

“Nope. I guess we’ll have to give them a taste of their own medicine.”

“You mean, do the same thing so they’ll finally understand?”

“Right,” said Mom, smiling.

The next day after school, Jessie ran next door to Justin’s house. “Hey! I’m ready to play that awesome new video game.”

“Cool! I’ve got it all ready. Come on.” Justin led the way into the family room. As the kids were playing, Justin’s mom walked in with Justin’s little sister, Ellie.

“Look, Ellie,” Mom said, “Justin is playing his awesome video game with the awesome controller and an awesome headset with a microphone.”

Justin gave his mom a funny look. That seemed like a strange way for his mom to talk. Just then, Jessie shouted through the headset, “Wahhh! Justin, help me!” So, he turned back to the game to help Jessie.

A little while later, Justin and Jessie went to the kitchen to get a snack. “Mom, can we have somethin’ to eat, please?”

“I don’t have any awesome cheeseburgers,” Mom replied. “But I do have some awesome juice and some awesome crackers with awesome cheese.”

Jessie giggled. “Why are you saying ‘awesome’ so much?”

“Aren’t you supposed to say that when you think something’s great? I happen to think juice with cheese and crackers is a great snack, so it must be awesome, right?”

Just then, the back door opened and Justin’s dad walked in. “Hello, awesome family and awesome friend Jessie!” he said happily.

Ellie clapped her hands and shouted, “Awesome, awesome!”

Justin and Jessie looked at each other and shrugged. “How come everyone keeps saying everything’s awesome?”

“I thought you were supposed to say that whenever something’s great,” said Dad.

Justin thought for a minute. “Well, you can’t use it for everything. Only some things are THAT great.”

“What do you mean?” asked Mom.

“You know,” Justin explained. “There’s great and then there’s awesome. Some stuff is just better.”

“Like what?”

“Like . . .” Justin looked around the kitchen and saw some vegetables sitting on the counter. “Like broccoli,” Justin continued.

“Broccoli is awesome?” asked Mom, surprised. Dad chuckled.

“No, I mean that broccoli isn’t awesome compared to like . . . cheeseburgers.”

“Oh, I see,” said Dad, nodding. “So only some things are great enough to be called ‘awesome’?”

“That’s right,” said Jessie.

“I agree,” said Dad. “Let’s get our Bibles, and I’m going to read about someone who is greater than anything else.” The kids found two Bibles and followed along as Justin’s dad read about a man named John who saw Jesus in heaven. Jesus’ face was as bright as the sun, his eyes were like fire, his hair was white as snow, and when he spoke, it sounded like rushing water.

“Wow! Now that sounds really awesome,” said Justin.

“Right,” Dad replied. “John was in awe of Jesus. That means John knew that Jesus was wonderful, but he also felt fear and great respect and honor for him as his King and Creator.”

“So what do you think?” asked Mom. “Is a cheeseburger as awesome as Jesus?”

“No way,” said Justin, shaking his head.

“Is a movie as awesome as Jesus?” asked Dad.

“No,” the kids said together. “I guess we should save ‘awesome’ just for Jesus.”

“That sounds like a great idea,” said Mom.

“Can we eat our . . . AMAZING snack now?” asked Justin with a grin.

Jessie added, “We should thank our AWESOME God before we eat it!”

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