Fathers and Sons

My lovely wife gave me two sons. Like all of us they had to learn to roll over. It wasn't long before they were pushing themselves up on their knees. I knew they would soon be using the furniture to get up on their feet, and that was where the fun and pain started for them. When they would let loose of the one thing that supported them, they would take a clumsy step or two and then fall down. My reaction was always a grimace, an ooh and an ouch-that had to hurt; but I knew they were going to fall. I also knew that they were going to fall many more times.

I never ran over to them, grabbed them up, shook them, smacked them around and said "What's wrong with you? Don't you know that you're not supposed to fall down?" No! I scooped them up and held them close telling them it was going to be OK. Then I stood them back up for another try knowing that they were going to fall again.

Soon after they learned to walk, they wanted to run and climb. One day my oldest came home with a broken arm (monkey bars). Then it was bikes and football, so along came bruises, scrapes and another broken arm. As they learned to do one thing without much trouble, they were soon off to another that needed more skill and added more pain and struggle to their lives.

God is called our Father. Our relationship to him in this life is likened to a walk. Our Father knows we are going to fall and when we do is ready to help us back up to try again. He doesn't take away the pain of the fall nor does he take away the reward for the effort. The key is to keep our spirit right with Him and continue to learn.

Adultery. Fornication. Lying. Stealing. Cheating. Laziness. Hatred. You plug in the failure. God doesn't take away the pain of the fall; He comes to us and says, "Ouch-that had to hurt. Let me help you up and let's try that again".

As much as I wanted to take away the pain for my boys, I couldn't. All I can hope for is that they will let me help them and that they will learn from the falls they take. Soon they will want a car, a girl, a job, a college, a career, a wife and children of their own. I hope I have successfully introduced them to a Father that is there for them in all these endeavors.

This is my introductory post and I wanted it to be a sample of what to expect on this sight. So if you enjoyed this or where helped at all, I invite you to return and read at your leisure.

It was nice chatting with you,
John