Someone shared a story with me recently about a little boy who wanted to meet God. He wasn’t exactly sure where God lived, however; so he loaded his backpack with Twinkies and a six-pack of root beer and headed out on his journey.

He had only traveled about three blocks when he saw an old woman sitting on a park bench all by herself. She looked lonely, so he sat down next to her. After a while he offered her a Twinkie, and she gave him the biggest smile he had ever seen. Wanting to see it again, he offered her a root beer, and she smiled once more.

For the next few hours they just sat there eating and smiling, and never saying a word. As it was getting late, the boy realized how tired he was and decided to head for home. But before he left, he turned and gave the old woman a hug, and that’s when he received the best smile of all.

Walking in the front door, the boy’s mother noticed how happy he seemed. “What did you do this afternoon?” she asked.

“I had lunch with God,” he replied. And then he added, “You know, God has the most beautiful smile I think I’ve ever seen!”

Meanwhile, the old woman also returned home. Her son immediately noticed how happy she seemed. “What did you do this afternoon, mother?

“I ate Twinkies in the park with God,” she replied. Her son looked at her curiously. “You know,” she said, “God is much younger than I expected.”

The person who shared that story with me said, “This will preach!” And hopefully it just has.