Freedom’s Key: A Children’s Story

Once upon a time there was a door in a wood. The door was as black as a moonless night. A golden door post encircled the door and on this door post was inscribed the words, Through This Door There is Freedom. In the center of the door there was a silver lock and above the lock there was a window. In the golden door post there was a nail driven deep and true and hanging on that nail by a scarlet thread there was a silver key and etched into that key was the word Free.

One day a painter passed by the door on his way to paint a cottage in the village. When walking by the door he gave a little jump for he had heard a knock at that door. The painter waited and presently he heard the knock again. The painter read the words across the door post and saw that through that door he could find freedom. So, he rushed eagerly up to the door, but found it locked. He peered through the window and on the other side of the door he saw a man waiting.

“Hello there!” said the painter, “How do I open this door so I can find freedom?”

“I have given you the key.” Replied the man on the other side.

Now the painter stepped back and sure enough he saw the key hanging on the nail by the scarlet thread and on the key he saw the word Free.

“Now,” said the painter to himself, “Why should I use the key when I have done nothing to earn it? Here I have paint and brushes. I will paint this door and the man on the other side will be so pleased with me he will open the door and let me through.”

So the painter set to work to paint the black door a glossy white. He did a very fine job for he was the best painter in all the country, but soon the black wood of the door began to eat away at the paint. The beautiful white gloss began to chip and curl and before long the door was as black as ever and no matter how fast the painter stroked he could not cover the darkness eating at the door.

Exhausted and ashamed the painter threw down his brush and stormed through the wood.

“I do not need to pass through the door.” he said, “I’m happy on this side of the door.”

And so, he left.

Soon a woman came to the door. She was beautiful. The most beautiful woman in all the country and she was loved by everyone in the country because she was not only beautiful but also kind. She came to the door and saw the words scribed across the door post. Suddenly she gave a little scream for she had heard a knock at the door. Cautiously she edged to the door and peered through the window. On the other side was a man.

“Please,” she said to the man, “open this door for me.”

“I have given you the key.” He said, “Open the door to me.”

Now the woman stepped back. She saw the key, but to her eyes it was gnarled and rusty. She held up her soft hands and admired their graceful beauty.

“Surely not,” said the woman to herself, “Am I not beautiful? I will get this man to open the door for me.”

“Good sir,” she said peering through the window again, “Open the door for me please.”

She batted her eyelashes and flicked her hair.

“I have given you the key.” He responded.

“What key, dear sir?” she lied, “When did you give me a key? Who are you?”

“I have given you the key.” He responded, “Even when I knew you would not accept it, I gave you the key.”

The woman peered through the window examining the man closely. Suddenly, she recognized him!

“But I know you!” She exclaimed, “I have done many good things for you. I have fed children and nursed the sick and taught others about you. I will not use the key, so please, open the door for me.”

“You may know me,” the man responded, “but I do not know you.”

The woman was hurt and angry.

She stepped away from the door and said to herself, “Is my husband not a good man? And is he not the strongest man in all the country? I will fetch him and he will carry me through the door on his goodness and strength.”

So the woman left and returned with her husband. He was indeed a good man and the strongest in all the land. When he came to the door a knock sounded, but he did not listen. He did not go to the window to see who was on the other side. He did not even notice the key hanging on the nail by the scarlet thread.

“I will open this door.” He said.

He pushed on the door, but it did not budge. He threw his shoulder on the door and pushed with all his might but it did not budge.

With drooping shoulders he turned his back and said to his wife, “There is no door.” And they walked away.

A young girl was traveling through the wood and was startled when she heard a knock. She turned and saw the black door with the gold frame. She saw the words scrolled across the door post and she heard the knock again.

She went to the window and standing on tip toes she saw the man on the other side.

“How do I open the door?” asked the girl.

“I have given you the key.” Responded the man, “Now use the key for I have chosen you.”

Then the girl saw the silver key hanging on the nail by the scarlet thread and she understood.

She took down the key and said, “I am not talented enough, or good enough, or beautiful enough, or strong enough to open this door on my own; but I will accept the key you have given me and open the door to you.”

She placed the key in the silver lock and the black door turned a brilliant white. As the man swung the door open she saw that the other side of the door was dripping red from a wound in the man’s hand.

The man stepped through the door.

“I will live here until it is time for you to pass through the door.” Said the man, “I will guide you and help you and I will give you freedom.”

This is not The End, but The Beginning:

Revelations 3:20 Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me.

Ephesians 2:8-9 For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.

Romans 5:6-11 For when we were still without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. For scarcely for a righteous man will one die; yet perhaps for a good man someone would even dare to die. But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him. For if when we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life. And not only that, but we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received the reconciliation.

Matthew 7:21-23 “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’

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