This past week we read Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone to our kids. It was fun to re-visit the book. It’s been all of 3 months or so since I’ve read it. 🙂 But it’s been especially interesting fielding their questions about the story and viewing it through their eyes. They’re fascinated and immediately clamored for book two.

In their minds the series is filled with two kinds of people and only one question is needed to categorize someone: “Does he/she like Harry?” I can’t even tell you the number of times I’ve answered that question. However, tonight as I answered that question, I was really struck by its profundity. Harry is Rowlings’ Christ-type. And really life does boil down to that question–so simple and yet so difficult and complex. Do I like Christ?

As the girls have been categorizing these characters, there’s one in particular they have problems with. In book one, Professor Snape clearly loathes Harry, but he still protects him. They had some serious trouble wrapping their minds around that one. It reminds me a little of the first son in Jesus’ parable in Matt. 21:28-32 who does what his father wants even after saying he won’t. Snape’s actions are clearly sending mixed signals. So I had trouble explaining him. And tonight I was thinking about whether I send mixed signals. Do I like Christ? And can people tell that I do?

I’ve definitely been the person who can stand up and give a resounding “no!” In fact, for years, I swung between complete disbelief and absolute hatred of God. Happily, God changed my heart. He rescued me from my disbelief and hatred and gave me trust and love.

But do the people around me know that? Am I being loving to the cashier at the grocery store? What about my neighbors? Or my kids? Are my actions and attitudes sending mixed signals? Obviously, the answer is yes, even on the best of days, because I still struggle with my sinful nature. But, Lord willing, the preponderance of the evidence shows my love for God. It’s definitely a thought that’s going to challenge me as I engage in my daily activities and as we keep ploughing through Harry Potter.

Do I “like” God?