Read It, Learn It, Live It, Share It
““You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden; nor does anyone light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on the lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. “Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven” – Matthew 5:14-16
As the door slammed, his heart pounded in his chest. He had spent his entire life trying to reason with her, trying to help her see the goodness in people and to accept people for who they are. When she came down the stairs that morning with a bag over her shoulder he knew what she was about to say. “Dad, I’m leaving. I’m going to move in with Scott and that’s that.” His initial reaction was to enforce his rules on the situation and he yelled at her, “Oh no you’re not.” A shouting match ensued, words were said that could never be taken back. He approached the situation with a holier than though onslaught of insults about living in sin, evils of her actions and lack of respect for her parents and for God.
Where had he gone wrong? Why would she be so rebellious and insistent on pursuing a life she knew was unrighteous, without any care at all about the impact? As he sat down at the kitchen table staring at the back door, hoping that she would come back in, he buried his face in his hands and wept. Ever since the divorce, their relationship had quickly turned for the worse and this was nothing more than a culmination of 3 years of his belittling her mother and blaming her for all of their problems. In addition, he had been seeing many ladies over the last three years and there were many a Saturday morning when she would come down those stairs and find another woman in their kitchen, wearing one of her Mom’s old house robes. How hypocritical could he be.
Every Sunday morning, he would knock on her door and encourage her to join him at church, and every Sunday morning she would refuse, roll over and go back to sleep. He sat in that pew for the last 3 years alone, not really listening or engaging in the sermon or the music. Rather he sat their feeling sorry for himself and getting more and more angry with God. Where was the love of the Savior in their family? How could God allow this to happen in a family that was so very happy just 5 years ago?
As he sat there at the kitchen table, he saw his old bible buried under years of mail, magazines and dust. He let out a deep sigh as the reality hit him hard. It had been years since he opened that book, or even considered praying and developing his relationship with God. He was saved as a young boy in the church of his parents, but he now had to admit to himself, he was doing nothing but going through the motions of claiming to be a Christian. At no point in his daughter’s life had he ever actually sat down and discussed Christ, salvation, or eternity. He used it as a stick when she would misbehave, but it was never a demonstration of the love of God that she so much needed. He certainly believed in Christ, but had never lived a life of Christ and now he realized the ramifications of his actions.
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Where had he gone wrong? Why would she be so rebellious and insistent on pursuing a life she knew was unrighteous, without any care at all about the impact? As he sat down at the kitchen table staring at the back door, hoping that she would come back in, he buried his face in his hands and wept. Ever since the divorce, their relationship had quickly turned for the worse and this was nothing more than a culmination of 3 years of his belittling her mother and blaming her for all of their problems. In addition, he had been seeing many ladies over the last three years and there were many a Saturday morning when she would come down those stairs and find another woman in their kitchen, wearing one of her Mom’s old house robes. How hypocritical could he be.
Every Sunday morning, he would knock on her door and encourage her to join him at church, and every Sunday morning she would refuse, roll over and go back to sleep. He sat in that pew for the last 3 years alone, not really listening or engaging in the sermon or the music. Rather he sat their feeling sorry for himself and getting more and more angry with God. Where was the love of the Savior in their family? How could God allow this to happen in a family that was so very happy just 5 years ago?
As he sat there at the kitchen table, he saw his old bible buried under years of mail, magazines and dust. He let out a deep sigh as the reality hit him hard. It had been years since he opened that book, or even considered praying and developing his relationship with God. He was saved as a young boy in the church of his parents, but he now had to admit to himself, he was doing nothing but going through the motions of claiming to be a Christian. At no point in his daughter’s life had he ever actually sat down and discussed Christ, salvation, or eternity. He used it as a stick when she would misbehave, but it was never a demonstration of the love of God that she so much needed. He certainly believed in Christ, but had never lived a life of Christ and now he realized the ramifications of his actions.
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We are all called to share our faith, to share the love of Christ and to teach those around us the importance of His saving grace. So many times as parents we assume they will pick it up and make the choice on their own through their own experiences. Many of us don’t feel comfortable wearing Christ on our forehead and in our lives so others can see Him. In doing so we are actually harming those around us without even knowing it. Their eternal fate is based on a single decision in life, and who knows if you are the only one given the opportunity to influence that decision in someone’s life.
It’s not a safe bet in today’s world to assume that your children, your spouse, your friends will pick it up on their own. We are all called to be a light to the world, and I hope you are not choosing to keep your light hidden under a bushel basket. God did not deliver you from eternal hell so you could sit on the sidelines and watch others line up for it. Get up and go tell someone about Jesus Christ today.
It’s not a safe bet in today’s world to assume that your children, your spouse, your friends will pick it up on their own. We are all called to be a light to the world, and I hope you are not choosing to keep your light hidden under a bushel basket. God did not deliver you from eternal hell so you could sit on the sidelines and watch others line up for it. Get up and go tell someone about Jesus Christ today.
© Sondove Enterprises, 2013
For more Daily Thoughts go to: http://sondove.blogspot.com
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For more Daily Thoughts go to: http://sondove.blogspot.com
If you would like to be added to the email distribution please click here: Daily Thoughts
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