"Bailey's Jesus!"

    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 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 watches as Joseph and Mary travel to 
  the Inn and is thrilled when she sees the baby Jesus in His 
  mother's arms.

     Later 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 
  blind 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," but she shouted  "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 watch this devoted little disciple see her Jesus beaten and 
  killed as those first century disciples had.

     Now 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!"  " It's Jesus!"

     I prayed that 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 what ever was going on that day
  and made all the angels watch Bailey.  "Now, look there!  You 
  see what I meant when I said; "LET THE LITTLE CHILDREN
  COME TO ME, AND DO NOT HINDER THEM, FOR THE
  KINGDOM OF HEAVEN BELONGS TO SUCH AS THESE."
  Amen!                                             ( MATTHEW 19:14 )

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