Breaking Holy Wind
As most of you know, Toby is our Deaf, adopted son from China. A few months after getting him home, something very funny happened while our family was watching TV together. At this point, Toby had already learned well over 200 signs. Unfortunately, I’m learning at a much slower pace, but I did have a head start. My wife is an ASL (American Sign Language) teacher at a local college in the city where we live, so she makes a great teacher. Anyway, while we were sitting there watching yet another recorded episode of the Mickey Mouse Clubhouse somebody broke wind. I won’t tell you who the guilty party was, only that it was a “manly” sound that reverberated throughout the entire house. I don’t which was worse, the sound or the smell. By the look on Toby’s face, I think it was the smell. I will say it was so loud, I honestly think I saw Toby react to the sound. It was really loud. Right after it happened, we were all laughing and Toby felt left out. Try explaining the sound of flatulence to a Deaf child.
It’s not easy. After giving him a quick ASL lesson on the word for…flatulence, Toby had some interesting questions. “Does Cassidy break wind?” I said, “Yes, she does, but it smells like flowers.” “What about Luke…does he break wind?” At this point, it was hard not laughing. “Yes, his smell a lot like daddy’s” I said. He went through the entire family and everyone he had met since coming into our home from China. He even asked if Mickey Mouse breaks wind. “Yes buddy…EVERYBODY breaks wind,” I said with my choppy sign language skills. Then he asked the mother of all questions. It really was an incredible question for a five year old Deaf boy who has limited language. “Does God break wind?” At this point, our family went from laughing out loud to being scared straight. Wow! “MaryBeth…would you like to take this one?!” “You go ahead…” she said with a smirk on her face. “I’ll be happy to interpret.”
For the next few minutes, I literally had the privilege of talking to Toby about Jesus. In the simplest way, I explained how God came to this earth in the form of a human. I didn’t use a Bible verse, but I told him what the Bible says about Jesus taking on our human form. (1 John 4:2) I told Toby that Jesus was a little boy just like him and had to grow up just like all of us. (Luke 2:40, 52) Without losing one bit of His power, Jesus endured the “stinkiness” of our world, all without ever sinning. (Hebrews 4:15) Jesus was the limitless God in the flesh who took on our limitations…all because He loves us. “Yes” I had to honestly answer my son. “Jesus broke wind, just like your family and everyone else who ever lived.” He had to take on a body to save us. Honestly, I’m not sure I made much sense. After trying to explain the Incarnation to my five-year old Deaf son, he had that look on his face….like I had just broken wind.
Here’s a little encouragement to all the parents out there. Next time your child brings up a topic that’s hard to discuss. Boldly go where few parents are willing to go. Make a b-line to Jesus. You’d be surprised how many subjects He wants to be a part of. I’d say most of them! Toby now breaks wind boldly. He’s very quick to claim his own flatulence. It reminds him that Jesus did the same thing and that he’s being like Jesus when he does it. I’d say that’s not a bad comparison. The only difference is holiness.
“You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had. Though He was God, He did not think of equality with God as something to cling to. Instead, He gave up His divine privileges. He took the humble position of a slave and was born as a human being. When He appeared in human form, He humbled Himself in obedience to God and died a criminal’s death on a cross. Therefore, God elevated Him to the place of highest honor and gave Him the name above all other names, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue declare that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” (Philippians 2:5-8)
