Today is Homecoming at our son’s high school. The game and dance are tonight, but first, there is a pep rally this morning. Our son attends an all boys’ school and the pep rallies are very different than the average American pep rally. There are the typical cheers and skits, but the pinnacle moment of the morning is “Roll Call”. “Roll call” can be vicious and is rarely, if ever, uplifting. The cheerleaders are given a script where they make fun of each of the athletes that will be competing that night. The boys all seem to love it; they cheer and high five each other after every roasting. I hate it. Today will be the 3rd time I have gotten to sit and listen to these kids get mocked. It is a school tradition and one I will never be able to appreciate, as I haven’t lived in that boy world culture.
This week, my son and I tried to figure out what he would get roasted for at the pep rally. He has had a bumpy year and felt there was plenty of ammunition to choose from. In the world of teenage boys, there is always plenty to parody as evidenced by decades worth of this pep rally roasting. Our best guess this year is that his taunt will have something to do with his mom’s blog. My first reaction to this possibility was laced with uneasiness, but that apprehension was quickly replaced with joy. I would love to divert any heat from my kids and have it redirected to me. That is how a mother’s heart works.
It is highly likely that each parent reading this has volunteered to take the heat for his or her kid. When faced with an uncomfortable situation, we tell our kids to make excuses like, “My parents needed me to stay at home”, or “My mom was running late.” Kids have enough tough lessons to deal with and sometimes, it can be a pleasure to step in and take the consequences and malaise for them.
This joy of stepping in and taking the heat for our kids gives us the tiniest insight into the joy Jesus has in taking consequences for us. No one really looks forward to pain, or getting mocked or dealing with shame. The sting of sin hurts and we all wish it could be avoided.
The most horrible pain and shame imaginable is what Jesus stepped in and took for us . He took it for the joy set before Him, because we are that precious to Him. The consequence of sin was unavoidable, but instead of letting us get what we deserve, Jesus stepped in. Jesus loves us more than we have ever loved our kids and He didn’t hesitate to take our punishment. He was mocked, ridiculed, beaten and killed for us. He embraced His role because He loves us so much.
Raising kids takes endurance; most things in life do. We can take great courage and consolation as we love, raise, discipline and sometimes take the heat for our kids. We are surrounded by generations of parents that have gone before us and are cheering us on. They are pulling for and praying for us. They understand all the pain and joy that comes with parenting; Jesus knows it better than anyone.
Dear friends and precious parents, keep your eyes on Jesus. He will hold your hand every step of the way. It gave Him great joy to step in and take all the pain that you deserved. He took it all completely and He completely loves you.
“Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.”
Hebrews 12:1-2 (NKJV)