God recently allowed me to see Jesus through the eyes of someone seeing Him for
the first time. Having the advantage of knowing how the story ends,
we can easily forget the cost of our redemption and the love of our Savior.

Every year we attend a local church pageant at Christmas time, which tells
the story of Jesus from His birth through His resurrection. It is a
spectacular event, with live animals and hundreds of cast members in
realistic costumes. The magi enter the huge auditorium on llamas from the
rear, descending the steps in pomp and majesty. Roman soldiers look
huge and menacing in their costumes and makeup.

Of all the years we have attended, one stands out indelibly in my heart.
It was the year we took our then three-year-old granddaughter, Bailey, who
loves Jesus. She was mesmerized throughout the entire play, not just
watching, but involved as if she were a player. She watches as Joseph
and Mary travel to the Inn and is thrilled when she sees the baby Jesus
in His mother's arms.

When Jesus, on a young donkey, descends the steps from the back of the
auditorium, depicting His triumphal entry into Jerusalem, Bailey was
ecstatic. As he neared our aisle, Bailey began jumping up and down,
screaming, "Jesus, Jesus! There's Jesus!" Not just saying the words but
exclaiming them with every fiber of her being. She alternated between
screaming his name and hugging us. "It's Jesus. Look!" I thought she
might actually pass out. Tears filled my eyes as I looked at Jesus through
the eyes of a child in love with Him, seeing Him for the first time. How
like the blind beggar screaming out in reckless abandon,
"Jesus, Jesus!", afraid he might miss Him, not caring what others thought.
(Mark 10:46-52)

This was so much fun.

Then came the arrest scene. On stage, the soldiers shoved and slapped Jesus
as they moved Him from the Garden of Gesthemane to Pilate. Bailey responded
as if she were in the crowd of women, with terror and anger.
"Stop it!" she screamed. "Bad soldiers, stop it!" As I watched her
reaction, I wished we had talked to her before the play.
"Bailey it's OK. They are just pretending."

"They are hurting Jesus! Stop it!"

She stood in her seat reacting to each and every move. People around us at
first smiled at her reaction, thinking "How cute!". Then they quit smiling
and began watching her watch Him. In a most powerful scene, the soldiers
lead Jesus carrying the cross down the steps of the auditorium from the
back They were yelling, whipping, and cursing at Jesus, who was bloodied
and beaten.

Bailey was now hysterical. "Stop it! Soldiers! Stop it," she screamed.
She must have been wondering why all these people did nothing. She then began
to cry instead of scream. "Jesus, Oh, Jesus!" People all around us began
to weep as we all watch this devoted little disciple see her Jesus
beaten and killed as those first century disciples had.

Going back and forth between her mother's lap and mine for comfort, she
was distraught. I kept saying, "Bailey, it's OK. Jesus is going to be OK.
These are just people pretending to be soldiers. She looked at me like I was
crazy. In my lap, we talked through the cross and burial.
"Watch, Bailey, watch for Jesus!"

The tomb began to tremble and lightening flashed as the stone rolled away.
A Super Bowl touchdown cheer couldn't come close to matching this little
one's reaction to the resurrection. "Jesus! He's OK. Mommy,
it's Jesus!" I prayed that she wasn't going to be traumatized by this event, but
that she would remember it. I shall never forget it. I shall never forget
seeing Jesus's suffering, crucifixion, and resurrection through
the eyes of an innocent child.

Following the pageant the actors all assembled in the foyer to be greeted by
the audience. As we passed by some of the soldiers Bailey screamed
out, "Bad soldier, don't you hurt Jesus." The actor who portrayed Jesus
was some distance away surrounded by well-wishers and friends. Bailey broke
away from us and ran toward him, wrapping herself around his legs, holding on
for dear life. He hugged her and said, "Jesus loves you."
He patted her to go away.

She wouldn't let go. She kept clinging to Him, laughing and calling His name.
She wasn't about to let go of her Jesus.

I think God in heaven stopped what ever was going on that day and made all the
angels watch Bailey. "Now, look there! You see what I meant when I
said, 'Of such is the kingdom of heaven?'"

Bailey's reaction should be our reaction every day. When we think of Him,
who He is, what He did for us, and what He offers us, we have to say,
how can we do anything less than worship Him?

I received this letter through an email. I do not know the original writer of
Bailey's Jesus. If you know, please let me know, so I can give credit.
This was so touching, I had to put it on my site to share with others.
THANK YOU, BAILEY!

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