Didn't See it Coming

Anyone remember the first time they saw a geode cut open? Here is this regular looking rock right? But inside it is so beautiful and complex.

I was so overjoyed by Ronnie's baptism on Monday. I was also very excited about announcing this to the congregation. I was so excited and busy that I did not see anything coming.

Up comes one of the mothers of our youth, Barbara, and she says that her son, Lucas wants to talk to me. Now Lucas is a wonderfully well behaved and respectful young man (I can say this even after baby-sitting him, which is a real test of a child's behavior), he has been a little upset about moving from Hot Springs to the little nowhere town of Mena (can't blame him, what child would not miss the big city); so I was guessing that this was what he wanted to talk to me about. BUT it was so much more beautiful and complex than that.

Barbara explained to me that Lucas wanted to be baptized but that other preachers had told him he was too young. So here is the inner conflict of a preacher; I am excited and want to baptize him, but... I don't want to do it just 'cause I'm excited and him not be ready. So, trying not to get my hopes up, I call him into my office. I asked him to tell me why he wanted to be baptized, what made him think he needed to be baptized, and what else was involved in conversion. He gave me well thought out answers (not scripted) and we covered what sin was and other things I wanted to see his understanding of. Simply put, he was ready.

So this child that I thought was just your happy-go-lucky kid turns out to be an incredibly mature young man, and I am proud to say that he is now a Christian. Here's to you Lucas, you are my awesome and amazing little geode. God bless you! Heaven and earth rejoice because of you!