There’s one thing I can count on for sure each and every evening –my two-year old Kolby’s non-wavering answer to “What was the best part of your day?”
She can barely contain herself as we start Peak and Pit during dinner.
“Mama, mama. What about me? Best part is…”
“Sshhh sweetie, wait for your turn,” I reply gently. “Try not to interrupt your brother.”
Finally, it’s Kolby’s turn. “What is the best part of your day Kolby?”
“William!” Kolby says with a grin.
“What did you today?” asks daddy.
“William…”
What game did you play?” big brother Kyle inquires.
“I play hit William,” giggles Kolby.
It’s the same scenario every night, though sometimes the details about William change. There are days he gets put in time-out. Sometimes he gets a boo-boo and band-aid. Occasionally William is absent and Kolby is sad.
But one thing never changes –Kolby’s epic love for her friend William.
Ms. Maggie (Kolby’s pre-school teacher) says they have to separate the two at times because they are so overly affectionate. Kolby and William hold hands, rub each other’s back and sit as close as possible.
There is something so precious, raw and innocent about the love these two-year olds have for each other. Kolby can’t contain her emotion for her beloved. It spills out of her. Her love for William interrupts life. She bursts with joy at the sound of his name and William is always the best part of her day, even when she doesn’t see him –he is still so close.
I think Kolby is on to something. This tiny girl of mine knows innately how to love with abandon.
No image. No games. No William in a pre-school box.
It’s all about William.
And this is how I want to be with Jesus.
I don’t want to evangelize at the mall, have an agenda with everyone I meet, or have to bother with fishing out the four spiritual laws out of my dirty purse and drawing a cross and a bridge on a napkin at Starbucks. I don’t want to share formulas about my faith or even rules about sin –though I am the worst of these. I simply want to wear Jesus on my sleeve. I want my love for him and his people to squeeze out at the seams. I want it to be so obvious people know something is different about me before I even open my mouth.
In a seminary class on evangelism many years ago the professor’s first words were to us, ‘We will spread the gospel of Jesus Christ and use as few words as possible.”
I was as stunned as the rest of the class. And then I let it wash over me and slowly change my Jesus paradigm.
Kolby has it figured out.
It’s all about the ONE WE LOVE.
