34

Posted on June 3, 2008
Filed Under Uncategorized, Parenting, Family |

Baggy jeans. Big white T’s. Dreadlocks. Hip Hop Lover. Side Kick Text-Messager. Football Player. That is my son Cole. He is, among other things, fairly typical of young Black men influenced too well by MTV and BET. He has, what he likes to call, a “swag”. He spends way too much time on MySpace. He listens to music way too loud, oh, and he also scored a 34 on his ACT test. Yes. A 34.

1 Samuel 16: 7

But the LORD said to Samuel, “Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The LORD does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.”

Long live those of us who break the stereotypes. Long live those non-conformists who are nothing but themselves: often walking contridictions. How much in the image of Jesus are they . . . a King, born in a manger; a Savior, crucified; God, in flesh and all of its humanity. (Don’t you wonder if he had zits?)

Thank you Cole for reminding me that things/people/circumstances are not always what they seem, or how we can so easily “categorize” them: bad, worthless, useless, unnecessary, etc. Thank you for inviting me to see things as God does, by looking to the “inside” of a thing, rather than its outward appearance . . . like I know people are tempted to do when looking upon your beautiful brown skin, baggy clothes, and long hair. Things/people aren’t what they always appear, as you so easily demonstrated in your 34. Keep walking honey. Keep breaking down the walls. Keep demonstrating God’s magnificence in you . . . with your bad self. 34.

Well, go on!

XOXO,

Mom