Over the last 6 years, a sweet ray of sunshine has asked me that question, over and over and over again. I would usually reply with exactly what I was doing when he asked it: cooking dinner; working on the computer; waiting on church to start; or trying to teach a Bible lesson. Or I might reply with some off the wall answer like: I don’t know; Picking daisies; or nothing. It didn’t really matter because he was going to ask me again within a matter of minutes. It would begin to irritate me after a while and I would wish he would stop. What I would give to hear him say those words again, but I know that if things were the same as they were just 3 short weeks ago those words would still just be an irritant instead of what they are today, a question of theological discussion.
See, when these words were asked 3 weeks ago, they were words from a special needs child, who though mainly none verbal, had great curiosity and no personal space. He didn’t think you needed personal space either and being right up in your business was exactly where he was going to be. Because of how my short sighted mind was, I reasoned that he asked this questions over and over again because this was a phrase he would say and since he couldn’t say much else then, what the heck, just say it all the time. I couldn’t phantom that there was any real question there or any real reason for him to ask it.
But I now know the rest of the story.
This young beautiful soul was one of the most free loving followers of Christ I have ever been blessed to be around, much less to actually be in his inner most circle. He knew Christ here on earth far more clearly then I believe even Christ disciples did. He understood that Christ is love and that all people are loved by Christ. He loved ALL people like Christ. He understood that Christ was not afraid of any situation or anybody. He was not afraid to walk up to someone and sit right down and touch them. He seemed to know when someone needed a friend beside them. He understood that Christ forgave everyone. He would forgive those of us who being so short mind and ill tempered would yell at him when he asked “Whaddya doing?” for the 6 hundredth time. He would just smile back instead with a big wide grin and rub his hands together in rapid motion like he was starting a fire. He had such insight into Christ that I believe he also understood that he was only going to be with us for a very short time and that he had to get the rest of us to understand and see Christ like he did. He did this through that one question, “Whatcha doing?”.
“What are you doing?” Are you being all who Christ wants you to be? Are you spreading the Lord’s message with all you encounter? Are you feeding the hungry and helping the orphans and widows? Are you actively seeking a relationship with God and working on healthy Christian relationship with others? How are you treating your family and friends? Why are you lonely when God is right there looking at you with His arms open wide?
These are just a few of the questions that I believe he was trying to ask………..but “Whatcha doing?” were the words that he had in his vocabulary that he could use to ask them. We just weren’t smart enough to hear the real question.
John Claude Scarborough was born June 12, 1995 to two loving parents John and Tammie Scarborough. Two parents who understood that Christ and God and church were a very important part of life and they loved their son so much they took him to church every Sunday and to every church event. They didn’t let his handicap stop him or them from their relationship with God. On October 8, 2011, John Claude’s earthly body could not withstand the challenges of this life and he ran on ahead into the loving arms of his Lord, Jesus Christ.
I will miss this beautiful follower of Christ but I now understand that he was trying so very hard to get me to listen; to stop and hear; to spend some time with our Savior so that I could have the inner peace and joy that he had. John Claude, THANK YOU. Thank you for being my mentor in my faith journey. Thank you for being a light in my life. Thank you for being you. I love you sweet boy and I will miss your sweet face but I know, one day, I will walk into Heaven only to be greeted by you and this words, “Whatcha doing?”.
