Setting an Example

Example is not the main thing in influencing others. It is the only thing.
-Albert Schweitzer

There is a family in our church that I know whose son is a very good baseball player. He is one of many in our church, I am sure, but this story is not about the athlete, it is about parents.

Jeff spoke about idols back on April 19th

Cars, tools, motorcycles, shopping, how I used to look, kids, sports, kid's sports, church, doctrine, position, fame, computers, the internet, cars, flowers, homes, vacations, money, spouse, security, being right, friends, drink, smoke, drugs, job, degrees, furniture, denomination, protocol, dogs, cats, and on we go. These are nice things, some of them, but bad Gods.

It is hard to see the good when we are loving the wrong things. It is hard to see what we are supposed to see when there are other things clouding our vision” -Jeff B.

What he said is so true and I for one have failed numerous times in that department. This past Sunday while leaving church I ran into the family mentioned above. I knew they were playing in a baseball tournament and so I asked them what time their game was today (Sunday). The father said, “Right now in fact” ….…and continued, “Yeah they weren’t very happy when I told them we were going to church and if they won we’d be there at the 2 o’clock game.”

I suppose you could say they made a commitment to the team and should honor it, however, there is more to the story..............just rest assured that the family didn’t leave the team high and dry. They saw an oppurtunity to make a statement and plant some seeds. They showed their son, his team, coaches, parents and some people at church that day, like me, that life has other priorities that are much much bigger.

Their son is going to go far in life…..and maybe in baseball, too, because he is being taught about the important things in life, by parents, who have chosen to set the right example.

Peace,
Lion’s Den Man