Cartoon Jesus

When I was a kid, I always imagined my future family with a husband and two children of my own. When I physically tried to picture this in my mind the faces were somewhat blurry or faceless. This sounds weird, but it makes sense to me because I didn't know them yet. My brain couldn't fill in the detail of who they were, because they were just an idea. They were unknown characters in the upcoming story of my future.

I always thought the best day of my life would be my wedding day. However, my favorite day ever was the day my husband asked me to marry him. This is because for the first time I could picture with certainty who the man by my side was going to be. I had wondered my whole life who I would marry. Our engagement brought an idea into a reality. Even now, I still catch myself staring at my husband thinking… Whoa! There is Andrew Tidball, and we are married. Maybe that’s weird, but we have known each other since our childhood so sometimes it feels like my past and future collided. 

The other most real moment in my life was when I got to meet my children for the first time. Before they existed, they were just a thought and hope of what was yet to come. Even after I could physically feel their presence inside me, they still seemed more like a dream. When I saw their face for the first time it was the most awe inspiring moment of my life! Seeing what was a dream, become real was absolutely the most incredible experience that words cannot describe. I still have moments the more I get to know their personality in which I think, Whoa! This is for real! These are my children that were once just a thought and now here they are in the real physical flesh!

I anticipate this is a small fraction of what it will feel like to encounter the real live physical person of Jesus. Sometimes I forget that Jesus is not just a story, but a REAL person.

I have been trying all week to explain the story of Easter to my three year old son. We even watched a cartoon about it. My husband and I couldn't help but secretly make fun of the ridiculously cheesy version of cartoon Jesus. However, I began to realize that in my own life I often turn Jesus into a cartoon character. Meaning, I tend to think of Jesus as merely a character in stories. It is very hard to think of Jesus as a real person for me since I have never experienced Him in the physical flesh! During community group last night, our group leader asked us to put ourselves in the disciple’s shoes. I thought about Thomas who could not believe Jesus rose from the dead until he physically touched and saw Him. Jesus says to Thomas, "Because you have seen me you have believed, but blessed are those who have not seen yet have believed." (John 20:29).  I believe Jesus was a real person and truly the Son of God. However, it is difficult for me to remember that Jesus is actually in this moment alive! I say on Easter “He IS alive.” Yet I tend to live my life in a way thinking “He Was alive.” Meaning, I often think of the resurrection as just a cool part of the story and go about living my life. However, this Easter I was reminded Jesus IS seriously alive, meaning physically breathing and living in the real flesh right this very moment. Someday, I am going to see His beard on His face, touch his very real skin, and feel the weight of His arms wrapped around me. Right now, this seems like just an idea, but I need to live my life in a way that reflects the real live flesh of Christ. I have yet to unpack what exactly that should look like. For now I am thankful, He IS alive!!!!