We're Like Zebras

January 30, 2012

“Mom, can Jesus make Himself a Pillow Pet?”

“No.”

“Why not? He’s God and God can do anything.”

“Well that is true but a Pillow Pet is not a living, breathing being; Jesus is.”

“Then can he make Himself a zebra?”

“I suppose he could but why would He?” I knew he was going somewhere with this train of thought and I wanted to watch what I said very carefully.

“We’re like zebras.”

“What?”

“You know, zebras are black and white. Black means sin and white means righteous.” I told you we were going somewhere with this.

“That’s true.  Scripture says we’re black with sin and Jesus can wash us white as snow. So, would we be black zebras with white stripes, being mostly a sinner with a few moments of righteousness? Or white zebras with black stripes, being mostly righteous with moments of sinfulness?”

“Well (insert long pause here), if we repented and Jesus saved us we would be white with black stripes; if we didn’t then we would be black with white stripes.”

Can’t say I agree with the black zebra with white stripes theology, but he was making point about born-again believers still battling with fleshly natures so I let it go.  Black zebras with white stripes is a discussion for another day.

“What color of zebra would Jesus be?”

“All white.”

By George, I think he’s got it! For weeks my little, big boy-man (by the way he hates that nickname and any combination thereof) has been struggling with the idea that repentance means you have to be perfect from now on. Now I think he understands (at least a teeny little bit) that as born-again believers we will always struggle with our worldly natures. The important thing is that we are white zebras with black stripes striving to be white zebras, and NOT black zebras with white stripes.