an inoculation against death

so, you've seen the artwork we're not using for our easter/resurrection series (here), but i had the coolest conversation with my 5yr old this morning when he happened to see it (it's currently occupying pride-of-place as my desktop background).


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jake: daddy, is that man being inoculated? (no lie...my son really did use that word :)

me: uh...yes, yes he is.

jake: for what?

me: what does that word on the needle say?

jake: life.

me: what would life inoculate you from?

jake: not dying. life makes you not die.

me: right. now, what's on the needle?

jake: jesus on the cross. he died, but then he came back from the dead.

me: right. jesus is the inoculation against death.

jake: like medicine? jesus is life medicine?

me: yes, absolutely.

jake: what does that mean? he died...but then he rose up and wasn't dead anymore? is that it?

me: yes - he defeated death. he died, but that was all that death could do - kill him...then jesus kept on working and he came to new life but death couldn't do anything else to him.

jake: that's why?

me: that's why he's the life medicine. that' s why we love jesus - because he takes away our fear of dying and promises to bring us back to new life again too.

jake: like with uncle randy?

me: yes - like with uncle randy. one day, we're all going to be together again.


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so, yeah - obviously the work i did on this piece wasn't wasted, even though it wasn't ultimately of use to the winds. i feel lucky to be part of God's work in my son, and in me, and in His church.