text: I’d like to tell you a story of a young man by the name of Courtney who had a good father who loved him with all of his heart. Now it was on Courtney’s 7th birthday that he sat down with his father and his father spoke to him saying this. “Son, oh my son. I’s your birthday today, and you are 7 years old. You are old enough now to go on and walk to the playground all by yourself to play with the other boys and girls.” He said, “Son, I know that it can get cold out there on the way to the playground so I got something for you.” So Courtney’s father reached deep in the closet and pulled out a present wrapped up in wrapping paper. When he opened it up he found a Jacket that fit him just right. And Courtney loved the jacket more than he loved his father who gave it to him. The next day, Courtney got up early in the morning and put on his brand new jacket. He said to his father, “Daddy, I’m on my way to go to the playground and play with the other boys and girls.” And his father said, “Son, you go on and have fun now, but make sure that you get home before the streetlights come on.” And Courtney said, “Don’t worry daddy, I’ll be here.” So he went out, and he went to the playground. There were other children there, and when they saw him they said “Hey Courtney, that sure is a fine jacket.” And they played catch, frisbee, and tag. Now when it started to get late in the evening Courtney said “Yall, I had better start to getting home. See my daddy said that I ought to be home before the streetlights come on.” Those kids didn’t like that so they tried to convince him to stay. They said “Courtney, why would you want to leave when we are having so much fun.” But Courtney said, “No, I had better be getting home.” They said, “You must think your better than us because you follow different rules. Come on and play with us and we won’t be offended.” But Courtney said, “No, I had better be getting home.” They said, “Maybe you misunderstood your daddy. Cause why would a good father like yours not want you to have fun. Come on and play with us, and I’m sure, it will be alright.” But Courtney said, “No, I had better be getting home.” They said, “If you stay, we’ll give you our candy for the rest of the week.” But Courtney said, “No, I had better be getting home.” They started to get mad at Courtney. And they told him “If you don’t stay and play with us, we’re gonna take your Jacket and throw it in the garbage can.” That one made Courtney scared because he loved his Jacket. He said, “Alright, I’ll stay and play with you.” And they played catch, frisbee, and tag. By the time they were through, it was around about 10:00. When Courtney got home, he found his Father waiting on the couch. He asked him, “Son, why did you stay out, past when I told you to come home?” And Courtney told his father everything that happened. “All of those things I was able to say no, but when they said they were going to take my jacket and throw it in the garbage can I was afraid.” So Courtney’s father took the jacket off of Courtney’s back. And through it, in the garbage can. Then he went up to Courtney’s room and got all of the toys out of the toybox and threw them in the garbage can too. He looked at Courtney deep in the eyes and said, “Son, oh my son, why were you so afraid of the ones who could take your jacket and throw it in the garbage can. You should have been afraid of the one who could through away your jacket, and throw you into the cold by yourself.