That Jonah Story
Dear Eugene,
Years ago during his elementary school years one day my son announced to the family My friend is from Nineveh!
You mean the city in the Jonah story?
He answered in his typical way, then and now, Yes, like, literally.
Who could blame him? This friend got into fights, went to the Principal's office, like, everyday, and was known to be a Huckleberry Finn, only having not even a town drunk of a father, transit hopping by himself younger than any kid I know. So he fits the bill to play the citizen of Nineveh. On a few occasions when my son needed to be at school very early, I would see the boy's lonesome figure half-heartedly shooting hoops in the rain, his bicycle the only tired spectator, lying on the puddled gravel, not even looking his way.
I am not too sure, I said. He doesn't look Assyrian to me.
But he told me so! He goes to church too and he said that's it.
Well...
So for a while I went along. On a handful of occasions I gave this boy ride to and from our church. One time I asked him Why don't you tie your shoelaces? because he literally (that word again) needed to play hopscotch to avoid tripping over them. He gave me a look like he was just asked What's the meaning of life? A non-look that defies whatever meaning you are ready to attribute to it.
A can of soda pop was in his hand at all times. Maybe that's why he came to our church. That's the least we could offer a wandering soul, I guess. He came a few times but that's it.
I couldn't recall how exactly I figured it out but one day I did: Nunavut.
By then the friend had already fallen out of my son's circle, though I still talked to him about this friend sometimes. I hope I didn't exploit his presence as a mere illustration for my sermons. I am sure I didn't do that intentionally; my apology sincere. Even now I think about him often.
Who's there for him?
Today I sent my son three pieces of news articles: 1, 2, 3. I said, This is your friend P----.
P goes to a different highschool now.
I would like to think back then he wasn't playing along with my son, that he too was genuinely confused about the difference between Nineveh and Nunavut, that the difference makes no difference to him in what he was going to do next. The last thing my son mentioned about him was his vaping.
When my son was really young one time he came home and said Wow my friend doesn't know who Moses is! and I was glad. I was glad that he was and still is in Egypt. I kept them in public school and had encouraged my Christian friends to do the same for their kids; you know why?
Because you taught me we are called to be Moses, we are meant to be Good-News people in a bad news world. Love not fear, to His glory not to our anxiety. One time a seasoned Christian mom told me, Well, we don't need to worry about homosexual teaching; our kids go to Christian school. I didn't know if to laugh or cry.
Thanks Eugene, as always. My kids don't know yet, but one day they too will thank you.
Alex
Years ago during his elementary school years one day my son announced to the family My friend is from Nineveh!
You mean the city in the Jonah story?
He answered in his typical way, then and now, Yes, like, literally.
Who could blame him? This friend got into fights, went to the Principal's office, like, everyday, and was known to be a Huckleberry Finn, only having not even a town drunk of a father, transit hopping by himself younger than any kid I know. So he fits the bill to play the citizen of Nineveh. On a few occasions when my son needed to be at school very early, I would see the boy's lonesome figure half-heartedly shooting hoops in the rain, his bicycle the only tired spectator, lying on the puddled gravel, not even looking his way.
I am not too sure, I said. He doesn't look Assyrian to me.
But he told me so! He goes to church too and he said that's it.
Well...
So for a while I went along. On a handful of occasions I gave this boy ride to and from our church. One time I asked him Why don't you tie your shoelaces? because he literally (that word again) needed to play hopscotch to avoid tripping over them. He gave me a look like he was just asked What's the meaning of life? A non-look that defies whatever meaning you are ready to attribute to it.
A can of soda pop was in his hand at all times. Maybe that's why he came to our church. That's the least we could offer a wandering soul, I guess. He came a few times but that's it.
I couldn't recall how exactly I figured it out but one day I did: Nunavut.
By then the friend had already fallen out of my son's circle, though I still talked to him about this friend sometimes. I hope I didn't exploit his presence as a mere illustration for my sermons. I am sure I didn't do that intentionally; my apology sincere. Even now I think about him often.
Who's there for him?
Today I sent my son three pieces of news articles: 1, 2, 3. I said, This is your friend P----.
P goes to a different highschool now.
I would like to think back then he wasn't playing along with my son, that he too was genuinely confused about the difference between Nineveh and Nunavut, that the difference makes no difference to him in what he was going to do next. The last thing my son mentioned about him was his vaping.
When my son was really young one time he came home and said Wow my friend doesn't know who Moses is! and I was glad. I was glad that he was and still is in Egypt. I kept them in public school and had encouraged my Christian friends to do the same for their kids; you know why?
Because you taught me we are called to be Moses, we are meant to be Good-News people in a bad news world. Love not fear, to His glory not to our anxiety. One time a seasoned Christian mom told me, Well, we don't need to worry about homosexual teaching; our kids go to Christian school. I didn't know if to laugh or cry.
Thanks Eugene, as always. My kids don't know yet, but one day they too will thank you.
Alex
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