Our oldest son’s swimming lesson takes place at the University Sports Centre near our home. In fact, all three of our boys partake in the sessions run by qualified university student swimming instructors. The younger of our two sons swim first which means that Solomon has half an hour to himself.
The changing rooms are next door to the very impressive squash centre and Solomon has begun to use the empty competition court as a space to practise his ballet and dance skills to pass the time. For my wife and I, it is a pleasure to watch him choreograph his own routine or work through his ballets points and positions.
On one such occasion, from out of no where, an athletic student, donned in squash attire walked onto the court where Solomon was. Upon first impressions, it wouldn’t have been difficult to conclude that the student was stepping onto the court to rehearse his own moves and motions that would assist in him enhancing finesse in his gameplay. But this wasn’t the case.
Solomon was alarmed to see the student come into his space and I couldn’t help but notice a change in his posture and contentment when Ivan approached him. It was obvious that Solomon was beginning to edge towards leaving the court in favour of his preconceived ideas about his visitor’s intentions. However, what didn’t register immediately was that Ivan was carrying two squash rackets and as he neared Solomon, he began to offer him one of them.
His reaction swiftly swapped from disappointment to bemusement at the invitation that was presented to him. Solomon was being offered a squash lesson. A legitimate, genuine and generous class in squash. It was baffling to watch it all play out as it was entirely unexpected yet incredibly kind.
When realising what was before him, Solomon didn’t take long to jump at the chance to be tutored in a game he had never played before yet had seen others share all the many times he had visited the same space whilst waiting for his swimming lesson.
Confidence was abounding. Interaction and assistance, encouragement and laugher was overflowing for that brief 20 minute encounter.
It was exhilarating for me to watch my boy thrive and try and push and persevere, all the while in bare feet, as he hung on every word that came from Ivan.
I’ll never know why Ivan decided to do what he did. But, I am grateful that he showed up and gifted such kindness and careful direction to Solomon while allowing my wife and I the opportunity to experience a bona fide random act of kingdom kindness.
