Isaac The Intimidator

Isn’t it funny how even personalities within the same family can be so different and interesting? You never know what “flavor” your going to get when you meet your new baby for the first time. They usually start out pretty much the same. They are cute and scrunchy and crying. You can’t blame them for being a little upset. Who wouldn’t feel a bit claustrophobic squeezing through a dark tunnel only to be grabbed by a scary looking person wearing a mask and rubber gloves.

It isn’t until you bring baby home that you begin to discover that she has such a sweet disposition and giggles at all of your jokes. Or that he is a natural born athlete wiggling constantly and trying desperately to get up and walk.

My firstborn doesn’t fit any of these descriptions. He has always been so intense. I remember taking him to a high school basketball game in his car seat. I sat him down next to me facing behind me so that I could keep an eye on him while watching the game. When it was over, a couple behind me commented on how my baby stares. They said he didn’t blink the whole game. They even used the word “intimidating” to describe him. I wrinkled my face a little, wondering what to say about that, but all that came to mind was, “he’s four months old!” I mean you have to wonder about a man’s self-confidence if a tiny baby is intimidating to him!

That wasn’t the last time I heard about the intensity of my son. Every time we took him to restaurants, our waitpeople would try their darndest to make him smile. It was actually pretty awkward and embarrassing to see how hard they were trying only to deliver the check and admit defeat. If only they had listened to our forewarning, they might not need psychological help to overcome their rejection issues after their encounter with Isaac.

Now that Isaac is in school his intensity is expressed in other ways, like his personal mission to destroy Santa Claus. We never really celebrated Santa and have always been very honest about who he is, but my black and white son just doesn’t get the idea of live and let live. We try to tell him that it’s okay if other families and children believe in Santa to which he replies, “ how can their parents LIE to them”! “Besides”, he continues, “Christmas is about everyone giving not just Santa.”

So when the issue of the Tooth Fairy arose, Travis didn’t even bother to put up a fight. Now Isaac tells everyone at school that their mom is the Tooth Fairy and I continue to be the secretly hated mother, the killjoy of the school.

My friend and I were enjoying some time together while our passionate 5 year-old boys played together. We were interrupted by their intense theological debate. Isaac refused to back down from his belief that God loves everyone even bad guys. I don’t think he would even hear his friend out to detect a possible misunderstanding. I guess that is a lot like many full-grown Bible Scholars. Next time you hear one arguing piously, you can tell him he sounds like a 5 year-old!

I don’t mean to imply that Isaac doesn’t have the biggest heart of any kid I know. He stands up for his friends, he cries if he thinks I am sad, he gives his money to the poor, he always considers others and values their feelings. He tells children at the park about Jesus’ love without thought of being rejected or teased. He grows very attached to people and to his surroundings. I know I am raising a mighty warrior who is going to change the world for God. His intensity and passion no doubt intimidates the enemy of this world. This knowledge is sobering to me everyday as I mother him. I think carefully about passing on my values to him and teaching him to have a faith in God of his own to carry him through the “war” of life.

Babies come in all kinds of flavors. Some are sweet and easy. Others are stronger in their flavor but still filled with the same sugar and potential for enjoyment. They are all different, but they are all called to greatness in their future. God has a plan for each of them. It’s our job to appreciate who they are now as we labor tirelessly over diapers, or messy rooms, or smart mouths each day to refine their character. Our reward may not come for many years, like around twenty. But what an honor it will be when our children rise up and call us blessed; when we see them making a difference in the world. Seems like an eternity away today, but in an in an instant we will soon realize just how worth it each day was.