Last summer he was a quiet little boy that didn't talk and hardly interacted. He had sores on his arms and legs from an infection that was going around at the time. He wasn't eating very much. He spent a fair amount of time just sitting on my lap.
Last Thursday night there was an Open House for the community to get a chance to see the new church building for Hope Fellowship. I was able to spend some more time with him.
This little boy didn't look much taller than last summer. A sure sign that he still isn't eating much. It took him awhile but he started to open up as we played on the new play equipment. Laughing a bit and having fun climbing around on the new play toys.
After a bit, I was finally able to talk him into getting some dinner. Sacred Road provided free hot dogs, chips, watermelon and drinks for everyone that came. He said he didn't want a hot dog so we just had some watermelon and chips.
Have you ever thought about what our sin is like in the eyes of God? We compare ourselves to others. Our sin isn't nearly as bad as theirs so we must be pretty good. But God compares our sin to His perfect law. He compares our sin to His perfect, righteous and holy nature. And our sin isn't just bad, it is evil in His eyes.
After eating we went back up to the play equipment. Shortly after, the little boy had a bathroom accident. He's probably 4 or 5 years old. It got all over the slide, the sidewalk, his shoes and pants. One of the interns (bless her heart) and I gave him a shower and cleaned him up. I threw away his old clothes and we gave him some new ones.
So what did God do? He sent His Son, His perfect Son, to bear the wrath that our sin deserved.
After getting him cleaned up, we went and played basketball for a really long time. One of the basketball hoops was lowered to about 6 feet. I would lift him up and he would dunk the basketball. Then he would kick the ball and we'd chase after it. He would be laughing the whole time. We both had a blast.
I try not to think about what might be happening in this boy's home. But what I do think about is that the love of Christ is being extended to this little boy through the actions of His people. Through the actions of His church in White Swan.
This little boy walking around in his own filth is not all that different than me walking around in my sin. Without Christ I would be no different. Without the gift of faith that God gives I would be walking around in the filth of my sin, dead in my sin.
"Jesus said to him, 'I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." John 14:6
I'm thankful for the opportunity to share the love of Christ to those like this little boy. I pray that God will change his heart. I'm daily amazed by the fact that He has chosen to change mine.
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