BAILEY'S JESUS

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God recently allowed me to see Jesus through the eyes of someone
seeing Him for the first time. Having the advantage of knowing how the
story ends, we can easily forget the cost of our redemption and the
love of our Savior.

Every year we attend a local church pageant at Christmas time, which
tells the story of Jesus from His birth through His resurrection. It
is a spectacular event, with live animals and hundreds of cast members
in realistic costumes. The magi enter the huge auditorium on llamas
from the rear, descending the steps in pomp and majesty. Roman
soldiers look huge and menacing in their costumes and makeup.

Of all the years we have attended, one stands out indelibly in my
heart. It was the year we took our then three-year-old granddaughter,
Bailey, who loves Jesus. She was mesmerized throughout the entire
play, not just watching, but involved as if she were a player. She
watched as Joseph and Mary travel to the Inn and was thrilled when she
saw the baby Jesus in His mother's arms.

When Jesus, on a young donkey, descends the steps from the back of the
auditorium, depicting His triumphal entry into Jerusalem, Bailey was
ecstatic. As He neared our aisle, Bailey began jumping up and down,
screaming, " Jesus, Jesus! There's Jesus!" Not just saying the words,
but exclaiming them with every fiber of her being. She alternated
between screaming His name and hugging us. "It's Jesus. Look!" I
thought she might actually pass out.

Tears filled my eyes as I looked at Jesus through the eyes of a child
in love with Him, seeing Him for the first time. How like the beggar
screaming out in reckless abandon, "Jesus, Jesus!", afraid he might
miss Him, not caring what others thought. This was so much fun.

Then came the arrest scene. On stage, the soldiers shoved and slapped
Jesus as they moved Him from the Garden of Gethsemane to Pilate.
Bailey responded as if she were in the crowd of women, with terror and
anger. "Stop it!" she screamed. "Bad soldiers, stop it!"

As I watched her reaction, I wished we had talked to her before the
play. "Bailey it's OK. They are just pretending."

"They are hurting Jesus" Stop it!" She stood in her seat reacting to
each and every move. People around us at first smiled at her reaction,
thinking "How cute!". Then they quit smiling and began watching her
watch Him.

In a most powerful scene, the soldiers lead Jesus carrying the cross
down the steps of the auditorium from the back. They were yelling,
whipping, and cursing at Jesus, who was bloodied and beaten. Bailey
was now hysterical.

"Stop it! Soldiers! Stop it!" she screamed. She must have been
wondering why all these people did nothing. She then began to cry
instead of scream. "Jesus, Oh, Jesus!" People all around us began to
weep as we all watched this devoted little disciple see her Jesus
beaten and killed as those first century disciples had. Going back and
forth between her mother's lap and mine for comfort, she was distraught.

I kept saying, "Bailey, it's OK. Jesus is going to be OK. These are
just people pretending to be soldiers. She looked at me like I was crazy.

In my lap, we talked through the cross and burial. "Watch, Bailey,
watch for Jesus!" The tomb began to tremble and lightening flashed as
the stone rolled away. A Super Bowl touchdown cheer couldn't come
close to matching this little one's reaction to the resurrection.
"Jesus! He's OK. Mommy, it's Jesus!"

I prayed she wasn't going to be traumatized by this event, but that
she would remember it. I shall never forget it. I shall never forget
seeing Jesus' suffering, crucifixion, and resurrection through the
eyes of an innocent child.

Following the pageant, the actors all assembled in the foyer to be
greeted by the audience. As we passed by some of the soldiers, Bailey
screamed out, "Bad soldier, don't you hurt Jesus!"

The actor who portrayed Jesus was some distance away surrounded by
well-wishers and friends. Bailey broke away from us and ran toward
him, wrapping herself around his legs, holding on for dear life. He
hugged her and said, "Jesus loves you." He patted her to go away. She
wouldn't let go. She kept clinging to Him, laughing and calling His
name. She wasn't about to let go of her Jesus.

I think God in heaven stopped whatever was going on that day and and
made all the angels watch Bailey. "Now, look there! You see what I
meant when I said, "Of such is the kingdom of heaven?"

Bailey's reaction should be our reaction every day. When we think of
Him, who He is, what He did for us, and what He offers us, we have to
say, how can we do anything less than worship Him? "Whosoever
therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is
greatest in the kingdom of heaven." Matthew 18:4


PRAYER

"Lord Jesus, you have the words of everlasting life. Help me to cast
aside doubt and fear and to embrace your word with trust and joy. I
surrender my life to you. Be the Lord and Captain of my heart, my
will, my thoughts and my actions. May there be nothing which keeps me
from you and your love."
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