"The purpose of a storyteller is not to tell you how to think, but to give you questions to think upon."
― Brandon Sanderson, The Way of Kings
Carl came back the following Sunday, and this time he took off his hat when I asked him too.
"Yes. Time for Bible studies everyone, but first Eugene will tell us a story that will help us all understand that our God is everywhere."
"He is." Eugene nodded as he looked at each and every child seated who were old enough to read and ask questions.
Carl's father was standing in the doorway. I wasn't sure what for, but I had students to consider first. Strict instructions on where to sit and stay seated were paramount. Once I had a spare second to inquire if he needed assistance he was gone. I caught Carl looking at me with the oddest smirk. I silently questioned it, and his response was a shrug. I sent a quick thought prayer asking God for strength to resist temptation and to stop my beginning phase of coveting while the room was as quiet as a room could get with children that weren't old enough to read or ask questions would allow.
"I had a mirror just sitting there. The voice said, Eugene, it is going to fall. I had it propped up. I needed to make sure all suds was out of my hair was my reason for the mirror in the shower. Now, THAT voice was clear. Crystal clear to move the mirror a little more to the right but I didn't listen to THAT voice. I said, I just need two more seconds to rinse the suds from the sides. Two more seconds and BAM! The mirror falls and glass everywhere!"
Eugene had everyone jump including me. I was listening intently making sure it stayed appropriate.
Carl was the first to ask, "God talks to you?" He had the look of wide-eyed awe.
"All the time. This was the time I didn't listen to the consequence of inaction."
Ron, a boy about the same age as Carl, asked Eugene, "So God was in the shower with you?"
"God is everywhere. If I would have listened to THAT voice, I would still have that mirror. Sometimes it is a big booming voice, or a tiny voice, or a thought-no matter it is God trying to tell us to do the right thing, and sometimes we ignore it and BAM!" Eugene startled us all again.