Years ago, I remember attending my children's school Christmas music program. At the time, I had two children in grade school and one hovering dangerously close to young adulthood. They have all been a blessing to me, and I was looking forward to this event quite a bit. As hundreds of us parents made our way into the crowded school gymnasium, I couldn't help but feel the joy and anticipation in the air. We were lucky to find a place to sit on the high rise bleachers; it was a full house.
A hush fell over the audience as the students began to file through the hallway and into the gym. Dozens of parents extended their hands high, holding cell phones equipped with state-of-the-art cameras. I did the same. We must have looked like a sea of news reporters at a CNN conference where the president was about to come on stage. Once situated on the risers, almost every child began scanning the crowd for familiar faces. Looking for your parents and grandparents is standard fare at these events, and every kid is programmed to do this I think. My youngest spotted me before I even saw him. When I finally locked eyes, he raised his arm and began the ceremonial "Hello" wave. I waved back, thus sealing our unwritten contract.
I have a feeling that deep down, no matter how old we are or where we come
from, we all scan the audience from time to time, looking for a familiar face.
Why do we do this? It is possible we need some type of recognition
at our job, or maybe we need to be noticed by our peers. Sometimes we may
simply be double-checking that we matter enough for people to come out and
watch while we go through life.
I believe it’s a truism to say that most of us are seeking something or someone
to wave at. A familiar face in a crowded gymnasium if you will. The
reason we scan the crowd doesn't matter so much as the fact that we are born
seeking after meaning in this life. I was blessed also to have a Cub
Scout den that knew this, and we put one of my boys through a 'God and Me'
study unit years ago. They were discussing John 3:16 and the boys were
supposed to write what this phrase meant to them personally. Many of us
know this Scripture by heart: "For God so loved the world, that he gave
his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have
eternal life." It is a familiar verse, but it is an important
one.
I looked over to see what my son had chosen to write. This is what he
said: "To help everyone who's being bullied. And to make God feel
happy." This is an eight-year-old's stylistic interpretation of the
famous verse in the Gospel of John. I chuckled to myself when I read it.
If the concept of sin can be equated to being bullied, then he's nailed
it! But more than that, isn't John 3:16 an example of God acknowledging
us? It feels like He is waving back at us from the parent section in
Heaven. "I am here," He might say ... "and I love
you."
Are we waving back at Him? I sincerely hope so. If the Bible is a
novel about Salvation, then the Gospels are a love story. They present us
with a Father who attends all of our music programs and sits in the front row.
Who laughs when we laugh, and cries when we cry. He waits patiently
for us to find him in the parent section, and then waves when our eyes meet
his. He stays late after everyone has filed out of the gymnasium, and
cares enough to pick up a copy of the playbill to post on the refrigerator door
when He gets home. It will remain there long after the Christmas concert
is over.
The children in our Cub Scout den had absorbed these Scriptural truths quickly.
They had wonderful, pure hearts. We read things like John 3:16 out loud
during the meetings. They seemed to understand it inherently. My
hope is that we do also, and that we never stop scanning the parent section for
God. Always ready to wave back as soon
as we lock eyes. This is the type of
Christmas holiday I wish for you. One
where we remember that the story of the baby in the manger equates to our
personal lives in a very special way.
Maybe after you are done opening presents on Christmas morning, it might
be time to recite some Scripture also.
How about John 3:16?