“Ya Want a Sticker?”
A few weeks ago, there was a group of us that were standing around near the front of our auditorium and talking after our Sunday morning worship at West Side. Within that group was one of our young families with two small children, the younger of whom was wandering around but thinking very intently about something. He disappeared for a few minutes and then, very suddenly, appeared with a booklet in his hand in the middle of our group. With a semi-stern look on his face, he waited for a minute, tugged on my friend KT’s shirt sleeve, and asked politely but very pointedly: “Ya want a sticker?” KT laughed and of course accepted a smiley face sticker. No sooner had KT pressed the sticker onto his hand than this little guy turned to me with the same determination as before. It was my turn: “Ya want a sticker?”
I wore my smiley face sticker on my hand for the rest of that Sunday, and several people asked about it that evening. As I continued to look down at it throughout the day, a line of reasoning began to form in my mind. I thought about how I had come to know this kid and his family through moving to Virginia, about the time we had spent in fellowship and worship together over the last two years, and about the memories I have made with them and with other families like them throughout my life. I thought about how I wouldn’t have this sticker if I hadn’t moved here, and about how I wouldn’t have moved here if it wasn’t for the church. I thought about the fact that the church is only here because it was founded by its Leader, upon the foundation of that Leader’s divine identity and purpose (Matthew 16:13-20). Near the end of the day, I looked down at my hand again and felt the conclusion of all of these thoughts form.
I only have this sticker on my hand because Jesus was on the cross.
I became very aware of the many material and social blessings in my life for the next couple of days after having this thought for the first time. Every time I noticed a new one, I had the same thought. I have all of the material stuff I have because Jesus was on the cross. I am blessed with the family and friends I have because Jesus was on the cross. I have the identity and purpose which are the center of my life as a Christian because Jesus was on the cross. In every case, the cross of Christ was and is the source of everything around me. It was upon that rock that the church was built, but it is also upon that rock that my entire life rests.
I am very thankful for that young man offering me a sticker, and with it offering me a chance at awareness and gratitude in the days that followed. I am even more thankful for what my Lord has offered me in His death, and the chance of new and abundant life that it brings.
“For our sake He made Him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God.” ~ 2 Corinthians 5:21
AUTHOR: Luke Tatum
