I love my boys, I really do, but sometimes, they try my patience, what with their constant wrestling and silly name calling. A few Sundays ago, after the fifth, "You're a poopy head," I just snapped. Maybe because it was Sunday or maybe because nothing else seemed to be working, I looked at them and said, “Do you think Jesus talked to his brother like that?” Both boys stopped, looked at me with puppy dog eyes, and very solemnly said, “No, ma’am.” My strategy worked . . . they didn't even start wrestling again until I left the room. As I walked away, I had to laugh because honestly, Jesus may have talked to James exactly like that.After all, Jesus was fully human, something I learned the hard way back in 1995 when I was a senior in high school. I remember the Sunday school lesson like it was yesterday. Our teacher had given us a Christmas quiz, and since he was a dad of toddlers, we were playing for Cheerios. Now, normally, I’m not a big fan of Cheerios, I’m more of a Froot Loop kinda girl, but I am a big fan of winning in general, so the prize didn't really matter. I was in it to win it. It all came down to the last question. I was tied for the lead with a guy who was normally one of my good friends, but that day, the gloves were off. The last question was "What did baby Jesus do when he was born?" I chose the answer that basically said the baby awakes but no crying he makes. I remember thinking, quite smugly I’ll admit, that I had the game in the bag, so imagine my complete and utter shock when I lost. See, I didn’t choose the right answer. I chose the words to a Christmas carol. But my friend, he chose the right answer. He chose the answer that said Jesus cried just like every baby does. The idea that Jesus was a regular little baby who cried like every other newborn was a new concept to me that day, but it is a truth that has stuck with me ever since. Fast forward to 2007. Our first Christmas together, I took Alex home to Rock Hill, and my mom asked him to say the blessing. Talk about being thrown straight into the hot seat! I have no idea what Alex said during the blessing, but I do remember how he ended it. Instead of a simple, "Amen," Alex said, "Bye, God." If you've been here long enough, you know exactly what happened when I heard that . . . I died laughing at the dining room table. I mean, who says that? "Bye, God," just seemed a little too casual, a little too personal. I was trying unsuccessfully to stifle my laughter when my mom looked at me and said, "That's exactly the kind of relationship you should have with God." You know what they say . . . Mothers know best. I often think of God and Jesus as these faraway beings, out of touch with our daily lives, but they're not. It's no coincidence that when God sent his son to the world on Christmas, He called him Emmanuel, God with us. At the dining room table, on Sunday mornings, in our relationships, God is with us. It’s easy to forget that Jesus was human too. He gets us. He knows what it’s like to lose loved ones. He knows what it’s like to feel judged. And he probably even knows what it’s like to have a pesky brother driving him crazy every now and then. And because Jesus gets us, we can be real with God. We don't have to hide our thoughts, not that we really could anyway. We don't have to feel ashamed or embarrassed or unworthy. Because He came as a baby, we can talk to Him as a friend. So, wherever you are this Christmas, know that God is always with you, ready to listen like the most trusted and loving of friends. He doesn't care what you say or how you say it, just that you share what's on your heart. Merry Christmas!
Sometimes there's a fine line between a hug and a headlock!
