He is only 6, a little young, and as his mother I had some reservations. Britt has for a very long time asked questions that are not typical for his age. I have always tried to answer them to the best of my ability in a way that he would understand. I can recall a day driving down the road back in the fall, when out of the blue when he asked me what the Resurrection would be like, and how we could be ourselves, without having sin in our bodies. I can recall laying in his bed one night tucking him after saying prayer when he asked, me to explain exactly what "dead in trespasses and sin meant." I can remember after explaining it to him, asking him to tell me some sins he has commited to see if he understood, and his little quivering voice answering "lying and hitting my sister." I can remember the first time that he connected what God had actually saved us from - Hell, an eternity without him. He has asked questions with no easy answers like why we can't hear God with our actual ears, and wanting me to tell him just how we are suppose to hear in our heart, so that he didn't miss anything.
Despite all that, I was still reluctant when 3 weeks ago he mentioned joining the Church. 2 Sundays ago, when he asked if he was old enough to join I told him to wait and we'd talk together with Bro. Jonathan after Church was over. He knew all the answers, but he should, I've been talking about this with him for as long as I can remember. I was hesitant, because we don't believe in infant baptism. We believe in a believer's baptism on a confession of faith. As his mother I wasn't sure if it was a head knowledge he had or a heart desire to join.
I asked him to wait, and witness the baptism last Sunday of Sister Savanna, and that after we talked some more he could decide. I wanted to be sure that he understood that this isn't something you do on a whim once, but a life time commitment. I read the Church Covenant to him, and we talked about the things that he was promising to do, we talked about how from now on he had to think first of what God would think of what he was wanting to say and do. After all this, I asked him to listen in his heart for what He wanted him to do. His response has continually been, "I feel God deep inside my heart, and know this is time." As his mother, the best I can do is give him what knowledge I can and judge his actions, I can't see into his heart. Based on the evidence we had, I told him that if that was what God wanted him to do. He could ask Bro. Jonathan and the Church, Sunday during handshake.
This morning, he picked out some "handsome clothes" and told Ruth today was the day he was going to ask to be baptized. At Old Carroll, we actually have two handshakes one before preaching and one after. Apparently Britt actually asked during the first handshake, and Bro. Jonathan told him to ask again after preaching. (haha) He did, and when asked questions before the Church he made eye contact and answered loudly, something he never does. He was so happy when everyone went through the handshake.
We never know what the future will hold, if our children, or siblings, or friends, or even our parents will remain faithful to the Church, following Christ even during the hardships of life, but the first step that I saw from my son today was beautiful, and stirred more emotion in me than I would have thought possible. The best thing any of us can do is to follow Him, and I am so grateful for his heartfelt desire, and pray that he will remember today, and always seek to follow Christ no matter what life throws his way.
