Billy had already climbed into his jammies.
He was going to hold his Daddy to his promise. Big Bill had promised to tell
him what Jesus had done during Holy Week.
Billy sat cross-legged in his bed, waiting for Bill senior to arrive. He knew the end of
the story, that Jesus was not in the grave, but he still was curious what Jesus did during
that week.
Bill senior entered the room. He could see Billy was anxious for his Close-My-Eyes
story but he was mustering up as much patience as an eight-year-old can muster.
He just could not hold it back any longer, "Daddy, what did Jesus do on
Tuesday," Billy blurted out.
Big Bill had to smile. He appreciated Little Billy's curiosity, he had been the same way
at his age. And the fact he wanted to know more about the Lord, that made Big Bill's
smile even broader.
"He had a full day on Tuesday," Big Bill said, starting a Close-My-Eyes story
for Billy.
"Jesus was just walking along, perhaps getting some fresh air, when his disciples
came rushing up with some foreigners who wanted to see Jesus. They had come from
Greece but they stuck out like a sore thumb where most of the people were
Jewish.
"The town was packed. Everyone had come to celebrated Passover. The big temple,
the place of worship of that time, was in town. Temples were not in every
town.
"Jesus seemed a little sad that day," Big Bill continued. "He was
said like a grain of wheat He had to die to bear fruit. There was a lot of talk
about dying and leaving his disciples behind. Then God spoke down from heaven and it
sounded like thunder, and Jesus told his disciples, He would be leaving and they should
follow the light while the light still was there to be followed."
"One of the most memorable things Jesus said was "If I be lifted up from the
earth, will draw all men unto me." He meant that he was there for the
Greeks who had come to see him also when he said all.
"It was not an easy day either for Jesus or His Disciples. The Greeks were
happy, th ey knew that Jesus was their savior as well as the savior for the Jews."
"Daddy, Jesus said He had to die if He was to bear fruit." Billy
asked. A confused look on his face.
"Yes, Billy, he said if you had a grain of wheat and just left it sitting around, it
would just sit there. But if you placed it in the ground, and it died, it would grow
up and produce more fruit," Big Bill carefully explained.
"I got it!" Billy said, his face glowing. "That is like the
experiment we did in science class. We all were given a dried old lima bean.
It look wrinkled up and dead. But then the teacher told use to wet a
paper towel. We put the paper towel in a glass jar, and placed the dead-looking lima
bean on it," Billy explained, trying to remember exactly what happened.
"One or two days later, a little green shoot came out of that dried bean,"
Billy continued. "When the shoot got bigger, we planted the bean and the
shoot in a pot of dirt. It got bigger and bigger and finally, it grew pods.
And in each of the pods there were more lima beans, but they were not dried up and
dead-looking like the one we started out with."
"When that first lima bean died, it made more and more lima beans," Billy
said with a knowing look on his face.
"Seems you really have a handle on that one," Bill said with pride after
hearing Little Billy's explanation. " What do you think about the other
thing Jesus said. That if He be lifted up, He would draw the whole world to
Him."
"I think I understand that too," Billy said. "Sounds like God
had let Jesus know what was going to happen to Him. That He would be put on the
cross," Billy said looking his father right in the eye. "Am I right?"
"You've got a good start Billy," his father replied, "And is that the
end of that story."
"Nope," said Little Billy drawing himself up a bit taller, "Remember when
we came home from Grandma's on the plane. When we go to the airport there was
supposed to be a van waiting to bring us home.
"There were a lot of van drivers waiting for passengers from that airplane. We
did not know how we ever were going to find our driver. But then we looked ahead of
us, and there on a big stick, poked up in the air, was a sign with our name on it.
"Reed Family" it said. We just walked to the sign, and at the
bottom of that tall stick, was our van driver," Billy said, with a serious look
on his face. "By that van driver lifting up our name, he drew us right to him."
"Billy I think you have a better grasp on what Jesus meant than a lot of adults, and
you are right," his father said beaming with pride.
"Jesus did know He was going to be hung from the cross and He also knew, if that was
done to Him, then all men would know His name and would be drawn to Him. People
would tell other people about his crucifixion. Others would be able to physically see Him
from a distance, and tell how bravely He died for us," Billy's father
explained.
"And today, whenever you tell someone about Jesus, you are lifting Him up.
Putting His name up high so others, who otherwise might miss him in the crowd, will
be able to see Him."
" Daddy, I think I will lift Jesus up every day," Billy said with a look
of determination on his face. "I remember how lost I felt that day in the
airport until I saw the sign on that big stick. So I bet there are a lot of people
who will not feel as lost if they see the name of Jesus lifted up. Maybe they are
like the Greek people you told me about and want to see Jesus,. They can not see Him
unless we lift Him up."
"Besides Daddy, Jesus is not even as heavy as me to lift up. For him, I only have to
lift up a name not a body. I just have to remember to do it," Billy said.
His eyes were heavy, sleep was only a blink away.
But dreams would not chase away his pledge to lift Jesus up.
Big Bill silently slipped out of the room, feeling especially blessed for having Little
Billy as a son
