Recently, I had a student pay a visit to my house – while my wife worked on her laptop upstairs, I took him on a mini-tour of our home. (I’m a lousy tour-guide, so it usually takes 2 minutes… “Room, room, bathroom, kitchen… we’re done.”) As we walked by a shelf in our living room, this student spotted an old VHS copy of the JESUS film (the one where Jesus actually smiles, not the other one) – it was sitting beside some books, and I’ve honestly never used it (because it’s VHS), but remember snagging a copy for myself years ago when I first saw it on a missions trip to Nicaragua (I watched it in Spanish then, and thought I’d prefer my own language better one day). As he passed by, my student pointed to the VHS tape labelled “JESUS” and made the comment, “hey, I know that guy!”
Sure, he was making an off-the-cuff joke to make me chuckle, something that, unfortunately, my leadership style has helped embed itself within our student ministry (I can’t stand serious moments, I always break them up with a joke; or two, or three… four). While I sorted laughed at my student’s remark, I couldn’t help but respond, saying, “and I’m so glad that you do.” (I think I said it in a whisper, because my emotions were fighting to get the best of me, and I wasn’t about to tear-up in front of one of our highschool boys like that…) But, you need to know that this young man had come to know Christ within our Church and, over the few years I’ve known him, diligently serve and follow him at a high price (more than I could ever share). To hear him say, “I know that guy” – referring to our Lord and Savior – was the greatest thing I could have heard.
I’m glad we both know him – and I pray my student will grow to know him better!
