I’ll tell you the story of little boy Joe,

Who disobeyed his parents and always said no.

“Take out the trash,” his father would say.

But Joe would just laugh and then walk away.

“Pick up your toys,” his mother would tell.

But Joe would snap back with a mind-numbing yell.

“No! No! No!” he’d always cry,

With a deep reddened face and a squint of the eye.

He’d pout out his chin. He’d puff out his cheeks.

At times they would stay fixed for several weeks.

But something was happening to little boy Joe.

He’d get a little smaller each time he said no.

Then one day he stood at the door,

And the knob seemed higher than ever before.

He looked in the mirror to check out his height,

And to his great horror he knew he was right.

He was shrinking, yes sir, everyday,

Inches by inches, he was growing away.

“Joe, brush your teeth,” his mother did call.

But Joe threw up his arms and stormed down the hall.

“No! No! No!” as he ran he did holler,

And that’s when he realized he’d just gotten smaller.

“Come here right now,” came the words of his mother.

So Joe plugged up his ears with a pillow and cover.

“No! No! No!” he said without thinking.

Then he looked around. Now he was shrinking.

He was the size of a dog or a little bit smaller,

But that didn’t stop him, he continued to holler.

“Open this door,” the father spoke to the boy.

“No! No! No!” He was the size of a toy.

“You cannot make me,” came Joe’s boo-who.

“And I’ll never do it.” He was the size of a shoe.

“Never! No! Never!” came his last plea.

Then no one heard him. He was the size of a flea.

Little boy Joe learned a lesson that day:

You must watch your mouth and the words that you say.

So Joe decided to be a good boy.

Then with the wink of an eye, he was the size of a toy.

“Yes, mother,” he said. “I’ll brush my teeth.”

Zip-bang-zip. He’d grown beyond his belief.

Now he was nearly as tall as the bed.

The words, “I’ll obey you,” rang in his head.

“I’ll do what you say,” he muttered at last.

Then he shot up with a mind-soaring blast.

He was normal again or so he could see.

Yet something was different. How could that be?

He’d learned a big lesson, during that day,

To do what he’s told, and always obey.

Then it struck him as clear as a bell:

BIG boys don’t scream or holler or yell.

“No” is a word that you say to a stranger,

Or to someone else who might put you in danger.

“I’ve learned my lesson,” he said with delight.

“I’ll obey my parents. I’m a BIG boy tonight.”

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Obedience

The Bible says in Colossians 3:20, “Children, obey your parents in all things, for this pleases the Lord.”