“God saw all that He made, and it was very good.”  — Genesis 1:31

“The man has now become like one of us, knowing good and evil.” — Genesis 3:22

“When Adam sinned, sin entered the world.  Adam’s sin brought death, so death spread to everyone, for everyone sinned.” — Romans 5:12

“Yes, Adam’s one sin brings condemnation for everyone, but Christ’s one act of righteousness brings a right relationship with God and new life for everyone.”  — Romans 5:18

I like the flow of these four verses.  They are the foundational worldview of true Christians.  Man was made good.  Man chose to disobey God.  Sin entered our DNA.  Christ redeemed us from sin.

This Easter, I want to share my little girl’s testimony with you.  I know she is only six years old and you might be thinking “what in the world could be her testimony?”  Well, I’m glad you asked.

It all started one day after Good News Club which takes place after school on Tuesdays.  She brought home these little cards that showed a black heart, which meant full of sin, and a white heart, which meant clean and forgiven.  She looked at me and asked me “Daddy, what color is my heart?”

Now, I am no different than most people.  I wanted to believe at birth that my baby was perfect.  I wanted to believe that there were no flaws in her.  I’m sure I even called her “beautiful and perfect.”  At that moment, everything in me wanted to tell her “baby, your heart is white because you are mine!”  But, that is not what the Bible teaches.  The Bible teaches that she, along with me and everyone else is sinful at birth.  Just check out Psalm 51:5.  So, I told her the truth.  “Baby, your heart…is black.”

Tears welled up in her eyes and she started crying.  It broke my heart.  “Daddy, what do I have to do to make my heart white?”  I couldn’t help but think of the Philippian jailer in Acts 16:30, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?”  And, of course, I couldn’t help but think of the answer in the next verse, “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved.”

So, I just went for it.  I told her she had to ask for forgiveness.  She had to ask Jesus into her heart so He could make it white.  I asked her if she wanted to make it white.  She said yes.  So she prayed to God the words I gave her.

“Jesus, I’m sorry for my sinful heart.  Will you make it white?  Come into my heart.  Help me live for you for the rest of my life.  Amen.”

Caroline looks at me and says “Is my heart white now daddy?”

“Yes, baby!  Why do you think it is white?”

“Because Jesus forgives me?”

“Yes.”

To this day, I remind her over and over of that moment.  The day her heart was made white.  When she does wrong, she sometimes wonders if her heart is still black.  I just remind her that her heart is not white because of what she does, but because of what Jesus did for her.  One of the coolest things that came out of this was her great concern for her little brother.  She begged me to “make Jameson pray the prayer of forgiveness.”  I tried to tell her for weeks that God would convict him of his black heart just like He did her.  That wasn’t good enough, so a few months later, I had Jameson repeat the words of her prayer.

“Does Jameson have a white heart now?”

“Yes, baby, he does.”

“Good.”

Happy Easter

Adam