I get such a kick out of Samuel but I wonder if that’s just because I’m his mommy.
This morning, we were discussing all the important things in life like what his letter of the day would be in Preschool (it was “W”), what this truck or that car could drive over (grass or mud or just roads), and birds. As we neared his school, he asked a barrage of questions about woodpeckers. I tried to patiently explain that whole pecking on the tree thing, and dispel the myth that woodpeckers were the “bad guys” of the bird world. Because they were eating bugs and that helped the trees! So we’re going through this whole thing and he finally stumped me with “What if a woodpecker eats something he’s allergic to?”.
Hmmm…I got nothin’.
So I’m still chuckling over this when we get to his class, so much so that I felt compelled to share the story with his teachers. They get a kick out of it, but then, Ms. Carol-Ann asks me to step out in the hall for a moment.
I knew this wasn’t going to be good news. She was clearly struggling with just the right words. She started out with “Recently, in class, we were talking about Jesus and (she hesitates)…well, you know we talk about Jesus. We are a Christian school. (Hesitates again.) Clearly you don’t have to be a Christian though to come here…but in class, Samuel told me that he didn’t believe in Jesus. And that his family didn’t believe in Jesus either.”
It was all I could do to keep from busting out laughing. “Uh, yeah, we do believe in Jesus! All of us! Really!” It was one of those moments when I wished I had my VBS shirt on or my Rainbow Valley tag around my neck – something to prove to her that we weren’t at home, worshipping Satan!!!
Actually, when I picked Samuel up, I asked him why he told her that and he explained. We have been talking a lot about how you are saved recently and he had surmised that since he had not yet asked Jesus into his heart, he was not yet a “believer” in Jesus. I tried to explain to him that it wasn’t really the same as saying he didn’t believe in Jesus, but it was a little hard for his four-year-old brain to grasp. Then he told me that his heart was closed right now but that he would open it up for Jesus later. But not with me – he assured me he would tell me about it later but would not be asking Jesus into his heart with me.
Okay, then. At least he knows his own mind. I’ll give him that. And when he does make that decision, I have feeling he won’t be going in with his eyes closed. He’s the type that will go at it with all he’s got. I can’t wait!!!