So… this is a new theme in my life.

Pirates.

The long gnarly beards, ships, swords, treasure type of pirates. Think Peter Pan. Not Somalia.

You name it, pirates rule the conversation of our household and car rides these days.

We are on the way to drop off a good friend and say hello to their cows, chickens, kids and his really great wife.

When J-Man asks “Does God love pirates?”

So I ask my great friend, in the passenger seat – “Mr. Curt – what do you think?”

Mr Curt: “Yeah – God Loves pirates. God loves everyone,” he tells him.

Curt knows God and the love and forgiveness of God well.

“But, does he like them and love them?”

Well, now, that’s a really great question my boy…

Yes. Yes – he loves them and he likes them.

“But does he likes what they do when they steal stuff and hurt people on their ships?”

Hmmm… well…

Ok… let me think about this, my 4 year old son. They didn’t really cover this in seminary.

Here we go: God loves and likes everyone. Ever. For all of history and all of the future.  

Sometime we make bad decisions, like not respecting each other, or yelling at each other, or taking stuff that belongs to someone else. Like treasure, ships, toys, hearts and hopes.

God isn’t pumped about that. But he still likes and loves us. Just like the pirates.

Period. End of sentence. Forgiven. Done.

You see, God lives in this place called hopefulness that is filled with a redemptive purpose. That all has been made right. For me, for you, for the pirates. 

Can we breath that in today? In the hope of forgiveness? That all has been made right? That God might actually care about us? About pirates?

We are no different than they – those stinky, rotten pirates.

And yes, God love/likes us. Just like them.

Kevin