Pages

Friday, October 26, 2012

On Heaven... with a 3 year-old

This is a conversation that took place a couple weeks ago:

We were just about to sit down to breakfast when John got a really sad look on his face and, out of no where, managed to mumble, "I don't want to die!" We didn't quite hear him right: "You don't want to what??"

"I don't want to die!" He repeated. He had a look of sadness and terror in his eyes.

My heart went out to him! We sat at the table and started to eat while Andrew and I talked it over with him. We told him that everyone dies at sometime but if he is a really good person and loves Jesus, then he will go to heaven when he dies.

He told us he didn't want to be a good person - I think he was thinking that if he was a bad person then he wouldn't have to die. We explained that even bad people die, but if he is a good person then he will have eternal happiness with Jesus.

I could tell this gave him some consolation, but he was still concerned. "You need to have another boy, Mama," he told me.

"What, why?" I was confused.

"And name him John, OK?"

*Melting heart* I ran to him and sat him on my lap. "Awe honey! When you go to heaven, we will all be there together! We won't need another John because YOU are our John and we will be together with Jesus! And heaven is going to be such a happy place!"

I was surprised how long the conversation went on. We talked about a lot of different aspects of death and I don't remember all the details. But I do remember that we were talking about being buried when we die and that Jesus will raise us up. John told us that he wanted to put a door on his grave so that Jesus could open it. =)

I'm continually amazed that John already seems to understand that this life is not our destination...


3 comments:

  1. I was probably 3 or 4 when I had the same conversation with my mom one day at lunch time. I cried and cried because I didn't want to die. After my mom spoke to me about Heaven and Jesus it finally hit me that death wasn't going to be just me closing my eyes and never opening them again, being in total darkness for eternity (that's the picture I had in my head). God was so good to give me my mama to explain the faith!

    ReplyDelete
  2. So sweet! We've been having these conversations with Elena too, the opportunity to share our faith with our children is so heart-achingly precious. It makes me think of the huge responsibility we have to raise them in the faith, which is rather intimidating to comprehend. I am so glad we are surrounded by families of such great example. I also love getting to experience again vicariously the world through the eyes of a child (one of many gifts to parents), such a great reminder that we are called to become as children to enter His kingdom.

    I love the little man John is becoming, so thoughtful! Miss you guys!

    ReplyDelete
  3. My eyes welled up when he told you to have another John. And the door on his grave is precious.

    He's pretty deep for a three-year-old. You two are blessed parents!

    ReplyDelete