Into the Light

The Tale of Benny Bee - Chapter 3

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Benny couldn’t believe what his friends had just told him. “Glowing? What do you mean I’m glowing?”

“Look in the mirror Benny,” Belle said.

Sure enough, Benny was starting to glow all over. As he stood there in front of the mirror a unique and beautiful light that seemed to come from the Royal Medallion began to fill Benny so that he lit up just like a light bulb. The light continued to get brighter until Bug and Belle could barely see Benny; all they could see was the bright light. They stood there mesmerized and just when they thought the light couldn’t get any brighter, there was a blinding flash. When they uncovered their eyes, the light was gone and Benny was laying motionless in the middle of the floor.

They quickly ran over to him.

“Benny! Are you ok?” Belle asked.

“I can’t get up,” said Benny, moaning.

“Are you hurt?” Belle asked.

“No. Bug is standing on my antennae.”

“Sorrrry Benny,” Bug said, taking a step back.

Benny stood up and brushed himself off. “That was amazing! I’ve never felt anything like that before.”

“I’m glad you’re ok, but we have to go tell Bill about this right now!” said Belle, grabbing Benny’s hand and heading toward the door.

They raced down the corridor and into the dining hall. The smell of fresh fruit and sweet honey filled the air.

“Finally. Breakfast. I’m so hungry,” said Bug.

“There’s no time to eat,” said Belle. “We have to find Bill and tell him what happened.”

“He’s not in here,” said Benny. “Let’s try the warehouse.”

The warehouse is the largest room in the hive. It is five stories tall and 1000 wings long and is where all the hive’s honey is stored. As they stood in the entrance they saw hundreds of workers putting the newly filled honey barrels in their place on the rows of shelves that stretched all the way to the ceiling.

“Bill!” Belle yelled. “Has anyone seen Bill?”

Everyone in the warehouse was so busy that no one seemed to notice them there or even hear them yelling.

“I’m sure he’s in here somewhere. Let’s split up. You guys go that way,” Belle said. “I’ll meet you back here!”

Bug ran ahead, pushing past several of the workers, almost getting hit by a honey truck. “Biiillll!” he called out.

Benny started out after him. “Bug, wait up!”

It was too late, Bug had disappeared down the aisle. Benny continued walking, looking for Bill, but was fascinated with how industrious his fellow bees were. Thousands of wooden barrels of honey were being dated, numbered and stacked carefully on the shelves for the hive to use for food later in the year. Just then Benny saw Bug. He had climbed up on a tall stack of empty barrels at the end of the row to get a better look.

“Bug! What are you doing up there? You need to come down! You could fall!”

“Don’t worry, I’m being verrryy safe,” Bug said, balancing gingerly on the top of a barrel that was starting to wobble. “I can see much better up here!”

The whole stack of barrels started to shift. Bug leaned left... then he leaned right, balancing like a tight-rope walker. “Woaaaahhhh!” Bug yelled as the barrels gave way with a loud crash. They all went flying in every direction. Benny jumped out of the way as one flew right past his head.

“Aaaaaahhhh!” Benny heard as he saw Bug, still standing, this time running on the side of a barrel as it rolled down the aisle. “Benny! Helllllppp!”

Benny quickly ran after Bug and the barrel but it was going too fast. Workers were jumping out of the way to avoid getting run over. Benny thought that maybe the barrel would slow down by itself but it seemed to be going even faster.”

“Oh, no!” Benny said. “He’s headed straight for the Vat!”

Bug and the barrel were on a direct course for the large vat of honey at the end of the warehouse. This was where the honey is stored before it is put into the barrels. It is as large as a big, round swimming pool, only filled with honey instead of water; and if you are a bee, you definitely don’t want swim in it, the sticky honey can ruin your fragile wings.

“Bug! Jump off!” Benny yelled.

“I caaaannnn’t,” Bug replied as he zoomed ever closer to the open vat of honey.

“Oh, I wish I could do something to help him!” Benny cried out as he continued to chase after Bug.

CRASH! Bug and the runaway barrel plowed into a stack of buckets in front of the vat. Bug was thrown head over heels high into the air above the honey.

“I’m too late,” Benny said as he saw Bug tossed into the air.

“Wait! What’s happening?” Benny felt himself being lifted off of the floor. He was floating. No, he was flying. And Bug was falling fast. There was no time to waste. Benny pointed himself toward Bug and flew as fast as he could. Bug was just about to enter the honey when Benny grabbed him. With everything he had, he held on and flew Bug safely away from the vat.

Benny’s mind was swirling as he lowered Bug to the floor. As he landed next to him, the room erupted in thunderous applause. Benny looked around. All of the workers in the warehouse were looking at him and clapping and cheering.

“Benny! Bug!” It was Belle, and Bill was right behind her as she pushed her way through the crowd. “Are you ok? What happened?” she asked.

“Benny saved me!” Bug said. “He can fly.”

“He can what?” she asked, wondering how that could be.

“It’s true,” Benny said. “I can fly. I don’t know how it happened, but it happened just in time to save Bug from landing in the honey vat.”

Bill was smiling. “Benny, I see you got something from the Queen.”

“Yes, that’s what we came here to tell you about,” Belle said. “Benny put it on and he started to glow and then there was a flash and then Bug stood on his antennae - well, never mind that part - and now... he can... fly.”

“Ah, that makes perfect sense,” Bill said.

“It does?” Bug asked.

“Yes, The Living Book speaks of a power that comes from a gift. A power that heals and makes things new. One that is to be used to help others.”

Benny looked down at the medallion hanging around his neck and smiled. “This is an amazing gift!”

Belle looked at Benny with a bright smile. “Benny, do you know what this means?” She turned around and whispered in Bill’s ear.

“Yes, I think that would be fine,” Bill said. “I’ll clean up here.”

Belle squealed and grabbed ahold of Benny’s hand. “Come on guys, let’s go!”

“Where are we going?” Benny asked as they raced out of the warehouse.

“I hope it’s to breakfast!” said Bug.

“You’ll see,” Belle answered. “Just follow me.”

~~

The morning sun was shining bright and a gentle breeze was blowing from the south. The sky was clear except for a few puffy white clouds that were floating by.

“This is amazing!” Benny said as he, Bug and Belle flew out of the hive and headed toward the prairie. “It’s so bright out here. It’s almost hard to see!”

“Your eyes will adjust,” Belle said.

Benny had never been happier. The warmth of the sunlight wrapped him like a soft blanket and the wind in his face filled him with a joy that was beyond words. The smells of the grass and trees and the flowers were unlike anything he had known.
“It’s even better than I imagined!” Benny said as he smiled and flew a loop around his friends.

~~

That night as Benny was getting ready to head to bed he stopped and smiled as he considered everything that had happened to him that day. He grabbed a sheet of paper and sat down at the table and began to write:

Dear Queen Belinda,

I don’t understand why you chose to give me the Royal Medallion, but I want to say thank you. My life has changed in ways you cannot imagine. I am so happy. Not only can I fly now, but I was able to help someone out today in a very big way. I think this just might be the beginning of many good things.

I am very grateful for your gift and I will always wear it proudly.

Sincerely,

Benjamin Bartholomew Bee

Ephesians 3:14-19 (NLT) When I think of all this, I fall to my knees and pray to the Father, the Creator of everything in heaven and on earth. I pray that from his glorious, unlimited resources he will empower you with inner strength through his Spirit. Then Christ will make his home in your hearts as you trust in him. Your roots will grow down into God’s love and keep you strong. And may you have the power to understand, as all God’s people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love is. May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully. Then you will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God.