Published 11/16/19
By Greg Johnson
What If...
Dad, it’s the end of summer and you’ve been working hard for a long time. In fact, because of some family emergencies this year and last, you used up all your vacation days traveling to other cities to spend time with sick relatives.
But you haven’t complained. Even the sixty-hour weeks in the middle of that July heat wave didn’t wear you down. Most Saturdays you’ve had to work, though your Sundays off have been a great time to reconnect with our family.
It’s now one week before school starts and we’re all anxious to do something this Saturday. Mom suggests going for a hike. While you would like something a little less active you promise you’ll do whatever we want to do.
On Wednesday night the phone rings. Answering it, you find out it’s Pete. He says he and a few other guys from Sunday school are going fishing at a small mountain lake rumored to have six-pound trout in it.
“Sounds great,” you say. “When?”
“This Saturday.”
“Fishing? With the guys? This Saturday?” you say. “I’d love...”
Just then you remember you promised us you’d go hiking this weekend.
But I’ve been working hard, you think. I deserve a little time to do what I want to do. I haven’t had any of that time in months.
It’s obvious you’ve got a minor dilemma on your hands. Do you go fishing because you know you deserve it, or do you spend time with us because you know we deserve it?
Questions to Think On
• What would you do?
• Is it easy for you to keep your word, or do you sometimes want to change plans?
• Have you ever broken your word before? When?
Dads have a lot of pressure to try to be the perfect leaders. Are you comfortable with knowing that only God is perfect or do you want to be perfect, too
What Does God Have to Say?
Simply let your “Yes” be “Yes,” and your “No,” “No”; anything beyond this comes from the evil one.
So I strive always to keep my conscience clear before God and man.
(c)