The following messages are actually one, as the original was too long to post as one message. it is an example of many writings I've seen showing Minecraft as a good example to kids in many different aspects. The follow actually came from my daughter.

My 35-yo daughter forwarded me this email from work. She works at Compassion International, as IT
Asset Coordinator:
A devotion from our IT VP yesterday, thought y’all would like it & maybe want to share with Logan. 

From: Ron Orrick (GMC-GSS-VP INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY)
Sent: Monday, October 19, 2015 7:00 AM
To: Information Technology (GMC)
Subject: Creepers, Skeletons, and Torches - from the mouth of a child

Ben and I were having a discussion on thermodynamics on the way to church Sunday morning. We spoke about the idea that cold doesn’t exist… that there is only heat at varying levels. Even space has a temperature of around 3 Kelvin above absolute zero. Cold is the absence of heat, just as darkness is merely the absence of light. We then extended that concept to the idea that perhaps evil (darkness) is what happens in the absence of God (perfect light).

So Ben, seven years old and apparently struck with preternatural wisdom says, “You know… I like to think that Minecraft tells us a lot about God… just like that”. I queried further and he said, “Well, you know how in the game, the monsters only come out in the darkness and if there is enough light, they don’t spawn” That’s a lot like Jesus’ light and our lives. If there’s enough light, evil doesn’t show up”!

Wow… just, wow. From the mouth of a child indeed… and a quick connection! Not only a quick one, a very tightly linked example to a present and contemporary artifact… to wit, a video game. I like it… I feel a devotion coming on.

This is a Creeper. It comes out at night and chases you if you get close enough. They sidle up close to you, hiss for a moment, then explode… doing enough damage to quite effectively kill you unless you have strong armor on. Regardless, they will injure you and throw you several blocks away… very annoying if you’re on the edge of a cliff, canyon, or other dangerous spot.

This is a skeleton. He also comes out at night and if you walk close enough to him, he will shoot arrows at you. The arrows wound you and throw you back a space or two. It is fairly difficult to approach them to hit them face to face as their arrows keep pushing you back. I don’t want to draw parallels to our fight with evil, but let’s just say, some exist!

This is a torch. This generates enough light in the game to keep monsters from spawning within 11 spaces of the torch itself. We can see a little farther than that in the game, but no monster can be created when the light is strong enough (11 spaces). It is key to get torches in a pattern that gives good light everywhere.

So, why a discussion of Minecraft? Other than the fact that it is a really good open world game with great opportunities for creativity and learning, it is also a good analog for our lives in terms of good and evil. If we are not aware, we can be surprised by evil in our world just like we can be in Minecraft if we aren’t always watching (Satan prowls about like a lion). Also, in life, if we aren’t actively taking steps to create light in our world, evil takes over naturally. This is the same in the game. There are far more parallels, but I’ve stretched this comparison too far already.

Remember to stay aware and to fill yourselves with Light. Squeeze whatever is in your heart that isn’t Him out of it and give evil no chance to take over.

Ben, great job with the allegory… Steve as Little Christian in Pilgrim’s Progress… I love it! Good job son!

In Him,

Ron