When we are open to learning from our children, they have a lot to teach us. This weekend, our youngest son, Tim, came home from college with three of his best friends from Huntington University. Some of them spent Christmas break traveling together to each other’s homes. Although we missed having our whole family together, we discovered something very special in these four young men. They knew how to enjoy life, enjoy each other, and have fun together living on the edge.
As soon as they walked into our home, they immediately asked if they could help finish preparing the meal. My wife, Sue, heard that “Mado” loved pho soup. She had spent the day preparing his favorite food, but she needed help making homemade rice noodles. Sang Jin was a natural in the kitchen. Before long he got everyone involved in the process. Jaron was the off duty R.A., but it was clear that he’d raised up a community of friends who were all leaders, each doing their part, to help and serve. It was amazing to see their unity and willingness to serve and figure it out together. Although I had never eaten Vietnamese food before, I think it tasted better because we all worked together to create it in community.
No one seemed to be in a hurry to leave the table as stories were being shared from all over the world. My wife found our globe she used to teach our sons geography. Jaron showed me where New Zealand, his birthplace, was located and where Pakistan, his home, was located. Mado was born in the Dominican Republic, and his family now lives in Minnesota. Sang Jin was born in South Korea, and his parents are missionaries in Indonesia. Here we were sharing a meal together with people from all over the world who loved one another deeply from the heart, and they wanted to share life and their friendships with us. I experienced a glimpse of heaven on earth.
As we were cleaning up, Sang Jin, the worship leader at Huntington, was on the keyboard playing Korean songs that soothed my soul. Before long we were gathered around the table playing Talking Matters, and the guys loved making up their own challenging questions for one another. I put my guitar in Sang Jin’s lap, and before long he was composing and improvising songs about all his friends. We were laughing so hard together. I didn’t want these moments to end.
Sang Jin was a lot like me. He was a comfort-seeker. He tried out the foot bath massager, the vibrating massage chair, all the muscle massaging gadgets from around the house, and our softest blankets. He referred to our home as “paradise.” All we did is open our home, share what God had blessed us with, allowed him to be himself, and joined their community of friends.
I found God’s image reflected in each of these young men. They loved, cared, and shared so freely. They just loved being together and being themselves. Imagine some day how God will use Tim’s computer gifts to glorify Him. How God will use Jaron’s leadership skills? Imagine how Mado will animate unto the Lord. Image how Sang Jin will usher people into God’s presence through music and teaching.
Communion is probably the best word I can use to describe what I experienced. Sue taught Jaron and Mado how to make her famous cinnamon swirl bread. Before our time together ended, we made and enjoyed asiago cheese bread and cinnamon swirl bread together, and we shared an uncommon meal together. Feet were washed and soothed. Our bodies were restored. We laughed and prayed and sang. We shared stories from our lives and our collective memories from Scripture unfolded. We prayed together and gave thanks for Jesus and all He’s bless us with. And I believe God was glorified.
Are you opening your home to expand your heart and experience community?
What is God teaching you through the kids around you?