Daddy’s Mistake

Monday   12-14-15  Home in Modesto 

Scripture reading:    Heb 12 – 13   Jude

S=Scripture  O=Observation  A=Application  P=Prayer  SOAP for the soul.

S.  Heb 12:10-11 For our earthly fathers disciplined us for a few years, doing the best they knew how. But God's discipline is always right and good for us because it means we will share in his holiness.  NLT

O.  Ouch!

A.  Sister McClanahan was a dear, faithful, elderly lady in our church in Colfax.  I was the pastor.  Frances and I and our three little boys went to visit her one day.  Ronny was 7, Timmy was 5 and Mikey was 3.  They went out to play in her big yard.  As we were leaving I was disappointed to see a large branch of her heavily loaded peach tree broken off and lying on the ground.  I questioned Ronny and he said he didn’t do it.  He was always truthful, so I questioned Mikey and he said he didn’t do it.  He, too, never lied.  Then I questioned Timmy, it must have been Timmy.  He, also, said he didn’t do it. 

But Timmy had developed a bad habit of lying at this young age.  You could never depend on him for the truth.  So I pushed the issue a little more and he finally admitted that he did it.  I promised him a paddling when we got home, not for breaking the limb, but for lying to us.  So when we got home I took Timmy aside, scolded him for lying and gave him a firm, “loving” paddling.  I had barely finished my job when the phone rang.  It was Sister McClanahan.  She told me that her son had just arrived and told her that that limb had been broken off before our visit.  I rushed to find Timmy, “Why... oh why, did you tell me that you broke that limb off when you didn’t do it at all?”  “But, Daddy, you insisted so much... that I told you I did it!”  With shame I apologized to Timmy, but I told him, “Timmy, my son, do you know why you got the whipping?  It is because you are always telling lies.  And that is why I thought you were lying.  If you stop telling lies this will never happen again.”  Timmy turns 59 years old later this month and I have never heard him tell a lie since. 

P.  Lord Jesus, I never took a course in how to be a daddy.  I made so many mistakes.  But you gave us three wonderful, loving, obedient boys anyway.  And our Timmy is the only one who has children of his own.  I have noticed that he is a great daddy to his son and daughter.  Both he and I know that every child is a precious jewel in Your eyes.  I pray again for our three wonderful sons and their wives.  May we all be united in heaven, not just on the basis of being good people, but because we, each one, have opened our hearts to receive Your generous gift of salvation!  Amen.

Ralph