Tags
Christianity, Compassion, Faith, Gospel, homeschooling, Parenting
“BE quiet!”
No, that’s not what the fox says. It’s what everyone shouts to eight year old Avian! With that song stuck in his head, he constantly sings it to the irritation of his siblings.
Have you noticed that our obsessions seem to upset others more than us?
Ten year old Kyrie questions me, “Why do you always want to write about Compassion?”
Knowing that I can’t do justice to Kyrie’s question, I still attempt. After all, my goal in parenting and homeschooling includes imparting vision, not simply the three R’s. Last night, when I was pondering the great sense of calling I have toward Compassion, three G’s came to mind:
The Great Commission
The Great Commandment—I pursued this topic in my earlier post, “Helping Others Snore.”
The Gospel.
How can I ever capture why the Gospel is so central to my love for Compassion? Jesus says in John 1:12 that whoever receives Him becomes a child of God. If you’ve ever witnessed the birth of a baby, you have experienced something stunning and divine. Words can’t express it.
I remember when my second baby Kyrie, just minutes old, wriggled out of her swaddling to grasp my finger tightly. It melted my heart. In the same way, I never get over the splendor of seeing someone becoming a child of God, entering an eternal relationship with Christ. While it’s a birth, it’s also a love story with wooing, courtship, and a life-long commitment through the beauties and many difficulties of life.
When we visited the Compassion Centers in the Dominican Republic, I was struck with the deep love the workers evidenced, love for Jesus and love for the children. It was clear that they were devoted to releasing the children from both economic and spiritual poverty. Without Christ and the Gospel, we are still empty, no matter how much economic stability we have.
In 1995, I met Lily, a beautiful and intelligent instructor at one of the most prestigious universities in East Asia. Though she came from humble beginnings, she was succeeding in her teaching career and advancing economically by investing in the stock market. Lily confided to me early on, “I always felt that there must be something more to life, but I haven’t been able to find it.”
For a couple of years, I met weekly with Lily to consider what the Bible says about Christ and what He does in our lives. After the first four months, she began to answer questions differently. It was confusing—this atheist was answering like she was a Christian.
Upon my questioning, she explained, “Last Thursday night, I lay in my bed and said, ‘Jesus, where are you? I want to talk to you.’ It was as if a light bulb turned on right then and I understood everything.” Without prompting, Lily began telling her atheist co-workers about the Gospel—such good news cannot be contained.
While our obsessions may annoy some, there are times when others “get it.” To the dismay of Avian’s siblings, I actually find it endearing when he chortles, “What Does the Fox Say?” After all, I cradled that little guy when he couldn’t talk, let alone sing. I hear the delight in his voice, and I recall the joy of this baby boy, whose smile lit up the room and still does.
Undoubtedly, I run the risk of irritating some as I write about Compassion International, but I’m hopeful there are others who will hear and respond to a familiar call:
“Whoever welcomes one of these little ones in my name welcomes me.” ~Jesus.