I've said it a million times and odds are, I'll continue to say it until I'm dead: My kids have taught me more about God than anyone else. If you are a parent, you probably know exactly what I'm talking about. Our children will say and do things that somehow transcend the level of wisdom they should have for their age. I am convinced that this is because things like faith, life, and love aren't rally as complicated as we adults make them out to be. We somehow lose sight of the simplicity of them over time, usually in an effort to justify our behavior in one way or another. Young children don't really bare that burden though. They are simply living without any preconceptions or any real agenda to speak of. Maybe this is the "childlike faith" that Christians talk so much about.
A few years back, my wife's Grandfather died. It was a hard time for her because it was the first person close to her that she had lost. He was also the patriarch of the family which made it difficult for many of her relatives as well. Watching them say goodbye to him at his memorial, I could see how much his children and grandchildren would truly miss him.
If I recall correctly, my daughter, Felicia, was right around 3 years old, (give or take a few months), when this took place. She attended the funeral with us and it was my job to keep her "under control." Because she was so young, she wouldn't understand the gravity of what a funeral was and so we thought it best for everyone if I simply kept her close. It would be quite embarrassing if she ran around the cemetery at the outdoor funeral service thinking she was at a park.
As the funeral began, Felicia did very well. She stayed quiet and remained close to me, fixated on the silence and somberness of the goings on. We stood off to the side of the gazebo because there were not enough seats to accommodate the number of people there and I felt it prudent to give the seats to family members and the seniors that were there. Felicia watched as the service began. In the front row she could see and hear the sights and sounds of her mother, grandmother, aunts, uncles, and cousins as they wept. Then something beautiful happened.
With no warning, Felicia let go of my hand, and walked over to the front row where the family was sitting. She quietly squeezed her way in between two family members that were crying and reached over to hold one of their hands. Then, as if by instinct, Felicia began to cry with them. Not because she understood that her great-grandfather had died, but because she saw people she loved hurting, and wanted them to know that she was hurting with them. Remarkable.
What Felicia didn't realize was that she was, in an indirect way, taking part in an ancient Jewish mourners ritual known as "sitting Shiva," where you simply sit and mourn with a loved one who has lost somebody close to them. Many Jewish families still practice this tradition today and to me, it is a very small glimpse into what Jesus had in mind for His church.
Remember, Jesus was Jew. He lives in a Jewish town, in a Jewish country, had a Jewish upbringing, celebrated Jewish holidays, said Jewish prayers and ate Kosher. Jesus would have likely taken part in sitting Shiva for others and perhaps have even had people sit Shiva for him. Jesus would have understood the importance of hurting with someone who is hurting. Remember when He asked Peter, James and John to pray with him on the night of his arrest? "My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch with me." (Matthew 26:38) But I think this was simply one facet in God's plan for us as a people.
Hurting with someone is only part of the plan. The Bible is full of the phrase "one another" for a reason. God is interested in not only restoring our relationship with Him, but also with one another. We were created in God's image. This is an image of community. The Trinity demonstrates to us that God's very nature is one of community and therefore, as God's image bearers, our nature is as well. We were created to know and love not only God, but also one another. This means we laugh, cry, smile, rejoice, mourn, celebrate, rest, love, and live with one another. Many of today's Christians call thins, "Doing life together," and it is a beautiful thing.
At 2 or 3 years old my daughter taught me what it means to really "do life" with one another. She did not know what was gong on, she simply saw those she loved hurting and so she decided she would hurt with them. She decided they shouldn't be alone. She decided to love with tears. And in doing so she became the most visual, real life, flesh and blood representation of Jesus that I have ever seen. I hope I can be more like she is.
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