The truth is, you can learn from this blogpost without reading the story.
I personally have such a love for the tone of the story, that I would have a hard time putting it down. The story is quick and unique and funny enough that I just keep turning pages. Many of the friends that I have shared this book with in the past will tell me that they don't read books, but that they did read and enjoy this book.
Digging in:
Let's assume that you only read the first two chapters, and try to learn something from the story of the main character (the aviator) as he draws a few pictures.
When he is a boy, he draws this picture, which the "grown-ups think is a hat.
Because the grown-up have no imagination, he has to draw this second one:
But what I really enjoy is the picture that the aviator draws for the little prince, when none of his drawings of a sheep please the prince. "Your sheep is inside." he says. and the little prince responds "That is exactly the way that I wanted it."
The thing that I think we can learn from the little prince is how to have a childlike faith. He takes things as they are presented to him. For us, as Christians, there are times when we want to take God's Word at face value when he hands us a box and tells us what is inside.
In a world of sinners, this attitude can get you into trouble, and it does cause problems for the little prince. If his friend the rose complains about something, he believes that the rose is telling the truth, and doesn't even consider that the rose may be being melodramatic in order to get attention.
But in regards to our relationship to God, we truly can trust him with hope and inoccence like the little prince.
When God describes heaven for me, he tells me what it will feel like. He tells me that we will not be sick or hungry. He compares it to some wonderful things like a wedding banquet and living in a grand home. He does not describe what it will look like. He does not describe our daily schedule or even tell us if there will be days.
He tells me that we will be with him. He tells us that our reward will be great, and that there is no way that a thief can steal the treasure from us.
But God really does give us a box when we ask for a sheep sometimes. in Matthew 7 Jesus tells the people, and us, that we can ask him for anything. and that we can trust him to care for us well.
7 “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. 8 For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened. 9 Or which one of you, if his son asks him for bread, will give him a stone? 10 Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a serpent? 11 If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him!
-Matthew 7:7-11
So we believe him, and rejoice that the gift of heaven will be exactly the way it should be. And when we are curious about something we can ask him. When we are in need of something, we go to him for help. Because he certainly wants to care for us.
Reflecting:
So, what other things does God ask you to accept as the sheep in a box? Are there things that you wish you knew the ins and the outs of, but God tells you simply to trust him with the faith like the little prince?
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