Fix It Daddy!

Caleb is a young man with autism in my son's classroom. I call him his wingman. They've become buddies over the years, walking down the same path in life together. My son Jon Alex is completely non-verbal. Caleb does have some limited language, mostly sounds.  Sometimes, even though the rest of us don't understand them, they communicate together in a way only they understand.

I'm convinced one day they will write a tell-all book together and discuss what they've learned from riding in the back seat together.

When something isn't right in Caleb's world, he will shake his hands vigorously and say, "fix it daddy." Often no one knows what has got him so upset, but something has clearly triggered him into repeating over and over, "fix it daddy."

Last week Caleb's mom told him how sick Jon Alex was and that he was in the hospital. Together Caleb and his mom prayed, "fix it Daddy." When I heard about the prayer I cried because I knew God had heard that sincere prayer from the heart. I was pretty sure that all heaven stopped in silence and leaned towards earth to hear Caleb, praying for his little friend, "fix it Daddy."

Books have been written on prayer. Countless books, essays, teachings, and sermons have been produced on faith. For hundreds of years, theologians have debated prayer, faith, and God's interaction in our world.

Caleb doesn't read books. Caleb doesn't know any theologians.

Caleb knows God.

And that's all Caleb needed to know. So Caleb turned his head towards heaven and politely asked his Daddy, "fix it."

No wonder Jesus, in referring to children, said we must become like one of these. Caleb's figured out the simple truth that the rest of us try to over-complicate, over-analyze, and over-think.

My friend needs help. My "Daddy" in heaven can help. When Jesus prayed "abba Father" it literally translates, "Daddy."

"Fix it Daddy."

I'm a pastor who every week meets someone struggling with faith, searching for answers, and wrestling with doubts. I try to explain faith, belief, and prayer. I try to provide the answers.

But next time I'm going to just send them to Caleb. He can explain it better than I can.