How Did He Get in There, Dad? (A Child's Perspective)
Abby Logic
My four year old daughter Abby has never been at a loss for words. The only time she stops talking is when she sleeps. Her little mind is always whirring a million miles an hour and her random thoughts and observations are always good for a smile. Her imagination is more active than any child I've ever met.
Not long ago Abby came to me with a quizzical look on her face. Her big green eyes danced as she asked with the look of pure, child-like curiosity that only a four year old can display, "Daddy, you know that Jesus lives in my heart, right?"
"Yes, Honey, I know Jesus lives in your heart."
"How did Jesus get in there, Dad?"
As a teacher, it is part of my DNA to recognize and seize teachable moments. I could not let this one slip away, so I began to share the story of salvation with Abby. I wanted her to understand the wonder and mystery of having a relationship with Jesus. We talked about how God loved us so much that he sent his son to earth to die for all people. She listened intently, as she always does, but my efforts to make the story of salvation simple enough for her young mind to grasp had not sufficiently answered her question. With a hint of impatience in her voice she replied, "No, Daddy. I know Jesus lives in my heart, but how did he get in there?"
"Jesus can do anything. He is the Son of God and he just magically enters your heart when you ask him to."
This explanation was still not good enough for my Abby. "But Daaad, how did Jesus get in there?" The perplexed look on her face made it clear she was struggling to understand how Jesus could have physically made his way through her little body and into her heart. Despite my many efforts to help my precious baby girl understand, I was only frustrating her more. She was seeking a more literal explanation.
All of a sudden, her eyes grew wide as the excitement swelled inside her and she blurted out, "I know dad! I know how He got in there!" She had figured it all out and she desperately needed to share with me her hypothesis on how Jesus was able to get into her heart.
Holding back a smile I asked, "Really? Tell me how Jesus got into your heart?"
She was beaming with pride as she looked at me and announced, "I know Daddy. He must have crawled in my butt! That's how He got in there!" Before I could compose myself to correct her, she skipped to the other room to play - satisfied with her explanation.
After calling my wife and sharing this story (and quite a long laugh), we decided not to bring up the subject again with Abby. It will be one of those things we correct her on when she is a little older. We just hope and pray no one in Church asks her how Jesus came to be in her heart!
