I had the pleasure of interviewing a remarkable 6th grade boy last week for admission into our middle school.  He and a girl from his same class were both interviewing the same day.  As it turns out they are good friends, having found common ground in the fact that they both enjoy learning (which characteristic apparently and unfortunately exiled them to the margins of the social order at their particular school).

In addition to being good friends, this young boy and girl are also coauthoring a fictional novel, described by the girl (also remarkable) as an “apocalyptic fantasy.”  When asked what his major contribution to the writing process was, the boy responded, “I tend to enjoy metaphors and sensory details.”  He then went on to describe the female protagonist in their novel as “from humble roots but fierce, with icy blue eyes.”

Actually I spent most of both interviews asking for more details about their novel.  I also made them agree to use me as an editor before they seek publication.

But I also always ask interviewees to describe their relationship with Jesus.  The reader must recognize that the expectations for the response to this question are not unrealistic; we’re talking 11-year-olds most of the time here.  God knows that I still struggle with a vivid articulation of my own faith at 36.  However – as I have learned in my teaching experience over and over again – Jesus was not kidding when he said in Matthew 18:3, “Unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.”  In this interview I was going to be reminded of this truth again.

Since he had been so eloquent with his words thus far in the interview, I decided to ask my faith question to this young boy in a more elevated manner.  So, after tearing myself away from further questions about the novel, I asked, “How would you characterize your relationship with Jesus?”

Without hesitation and with the most humble sincerity, he replied, “Well, I sing.  I sing to him.  That’s what I do for him.  And I know he listens.  And often he replies.”

At this point it took my full constitution for me to keep it together and finish the interview without freaking this poor child out by crying.

In that moment of honesty Jesus spoke to me through that 6th grade boy.  He said, “How does this boy characterize his relationship with me?  By worship.  Worship characterizes his relationship with his Savior.”

This 6th grade boy gets it.  He gets it so much more than I do most of the time.  Now he may not get it “intellectually,” but that is the point, isn’t it?  This posture of worship – this desire to worship as an expression of his love for the object of his affection – is just what he does, is just who he is, so much so that he says, “I sing,” as simply and matter-of-factly as I would say, “I eat,” if someone asked me what I do when I get hungry.

If there is a good example of virtue, well there it is.

“I will sing of steadfast love and justice; to you, O Lord, I will make music.” Psalm 101:1 (ESV)