Kiester

Kiester

The Air Force base daycare I worked at in Spokane was usually a joyless place. There were too many children crowded into small rooms and left for more hours than could ever be considered healthy for young children to be away from home.

Somber parents would come throughout the day to retrieve their children. Most were weary from hours at work, and the fatigue showed on their faces. Few had a smile to offer their children, and some were impatient and unkind as they hustled them out the door.

Kiester’s mother, a tall, pretty African American woman with a booming voice, was different. The moment she stepped inside the building, she began to sing out Kiester’s name as loud as she could. “Kiester, Kiester,” echoed off the walls of every room. The smile on her face radiated through the sound of her voice.

Kiester was always listening, waiting for the sound of her mother’s voice calling her name. The instant she heard it, she stopped whatever she was doing, jumped to her feet and tore through the building in the direction of that sweet, familiar love song. With a broad smile on her face and her arms outstretched, she jumped into the arms of her mother who was now down on her knees waiting for Kiester’s embrace. Then the mother would dance out the door, swinging Kiester around and around in her arms.

Perhaps this memory touches my heart so much not just because it shows the deepest expression of love and joy between a mother and her child, but because it reminds me of Jesus’ love for us. Jesus calls our name with a smile on his face and love in his heart. He runs towards us with arms outstretched, waiting for our embrace. He even came down to our level, being born as a babe in the manger, living among us, dying an agonizing death just for the chance to have a relationship with us. Oh, that we would keep our ears tuned to listen for His voice, that we might stop whatever we are doing and respond to His call, running into His outstretched arms. That we might truly understand the sacrifice He made for us, and long for His love. Some day when we meet Him, He will capture us in his embrace and dance us into heaven, if we have accepted His free gift of salvation. What a glorious day that will be!

Listen…can you hear it? It’s echoing off the walls of your heart... that sweet, familiar love song. He’s shouting YOUR name! He’s running towards YOU! Stop what you’re doing and go to Him. He loves you and He’s waiting…

© 2003 Sherine W