July 20

That’s Special


Since God did not spare even his own Son but gave him up for us all, won’t God, who gave us Christ, also give us everything else?

Romans 8:32 (NLT)


I sat across the large wooden desk from my Saudi counterpart—a major named Talal. We exchanged pleasantries and asked about each other’s families. Since many Saudi officers had more than one wife, I asked him how many he had.

“One,” he replied. “It is enough!” He rolled his warm brown eyes heavenward.

The office was hot and cramped, but his white smile was genuine as he asked me about my family.

“I have a wife and three boys,” I said.

“No girls?”

I shifted my weight on the hard chair. “No, just three energetic boys!” I tried to be positive.

Talal looked over my shoulder, “Mohammed…. He has three boys … only three boys.”

Mohammed, dressed in sandals and a white robe and headpiece that matched his beard, was just passing the office doorway. He looked at me, then at the major. His eyes grew big as he pursed his lips, slowly nodded his head and moved on. I turned to my host.

“Does this mean something?” I asked.

“I cannot say.” Major Talal looked away then went back to my papers on his desk. He kept the secret to himself.

I would later learn that, in Mideast culture, having only boys was considered a sign of God’s special blessing. A very superstitious people, they refused to discuss such things for fear of jinxing the blessing (or being accused of jinxing the blessing).

While sons are still considered special in the Middle East, in reality, all of us are considered special by God—so dear, He gave His one and only Son for us. Yes, God allowed His best to be sacrificed for us, and this special Son has given us eternal life. Now that’s special!


Father, help us appreciate Your special love for all of us! Amen.