I Met Someone Awesome

I met a man at a race last Saturday. He was blond, blue-eyed, solidly built, and full of the energy of life.

True enough, he was a little short for me, but “cute” was a word I would use to describe his face and demeanor. We met mid-way through the race and matched strides for a bit.

“How far do we have to go yet?” he said.

“I think we’re half-way done," I replied.

He smiled a disarming smile.

His missing teeth took me aback.

“See ya!” he yelled. He took off running at a pace that left me watching his backside.

Nuts! Didn’t even get his name.

I finished the race at my own steady pace and found him just across the finish line. First he fist-bumped his running buddy and then threw himself onto the soggy ground. He lay there spread-eagle, breathing hard. A look of sheer joy was on his beautiful face. I walked up to congratulate him.

Reaching down and shaking his hand I said, “Wow, you can run! You were awesome!”

“Yeah, I know I am!” he said giggling out loud. His cherubic smile showed off the empty gums of his mouth where his baby teeth had fallen out in anticipation of permanent ones.  “Yeah, I AM AWESOME!" he lisped. 

It seems to me that six-year-old, “little man”  answered the historical question of Christians who are entering the Holy Week prior to Easter: "What was Jesus' purpose in appearing on this earth?"

From where I stand, The Creator loved creation so much that a demonstration of awesomeness was needed to help us understand our belovedness. (1John 4:9)

Yet, somehow we STILL forget how AWESOME we really are. 

Somewhere between being six or sixty or even one hundred and six, we humans forget we are made in the image of God—Imago Dei—and that we are simply, humbly, gloriously loved and awesome just as we are. Missing teeth and all. 

Deal with that reality and you will be guaranteed a holy week no matter what week of the year it is for you. 

                                                                                   Peace be in all, Jane