The Real Gift
My parents are gone and I hope and believe they are with Jesus.
If your parents are still alive, this is for you…
Our son came to visit us for an extended weekend. To us, he will always be our little boy. But the reality is that he is in his later 30s with a wife and our three year old granddaughter. He has a good job and provides a good living for his family. He and his wife take great care to think of and find unique presents for us.
I know you’re already wondering if this devotion is just a parent bragging about his adult son and in some ways I am. But what I want to draw your attention to are a few of the things he’s said to me over the years that has made my heart swell. You see as far as stuff he could give us, those comments are more valuable than any other presents.
Just a couple of minutes ago, he and my wife decided to make a quick shopping run while I decided to stay home and relax. I asked my wife to hand me a blanket and made up an excuse that my cat wanted it. My son laughed and said that he could tell that he was quickly turning into me by his use of humor to ask for things.
About ten years ago, we were talking and he thanked us for not giving him everything he wanted and making him work to get those additional things he really wanted. He had already reflected that making him work for things improved his work ethic and that was already paying off in his occupation.
My final example was a different conversation where he reflected that he’d finish those jobs and tell us and our response was to ask him if he did the best job he could do before looking. He decided that that helped him improve his attention to detail.
“Hear, O sons, a father’s instruction, and be attentive, that you may gain insight, for I give you good precepts; do not forsake my teaching. When I was a son with my father, tender, the only one in the sight of my mother, he taught me and said to me, “Let your heart hold fast my words; keep my commandments, and live. Get wisdom; get insight; do not forget, and do not turn away from the words of my mouth. Do not forsake her, and she will keep you; love her, and she will guard you. The beginning of wisdom is this: Get wisdom, and whatever you get, get insight. Prize her highly, and she will exalt you; she will honor you if you embrace her. She will place on your head a graceful garland; she will bestow on you a beautiful crown.” Hear, my son, and accept my words, that the years of your life may be many. I have taught you the way of wisdom; I have led you in the paths of uprightness. When you walk, your step will not be hampered, and if you run, you will not stumble. Keep hold of instruction; do not let go; guard her, for she is your life. Do not enter the path of the wicked, and do not walk in the way of the evil. Avoid it; do not go on it; turn away from it and pass on. For they cannot sleep unless they have done wrong; they are robbed of sleep unless they have made someone stumble. For they eat the bread of wickedness and drink the wine of violence. But the path of the righteous is like the light of dawn, which shines brighter and brighter until full day. The way of the wicked is like deep darkness; they do not know over what they stumble. My son, be attentive to my words; incline your ear to my sayings. Let them not escape from your sight; keep them within your heart. For they are life to those who find them, and healing to all their flesh. Keep your heart with all vigilance, for from it flow the springs of life. Put away from you crooked speech, and put devious talk far from you. Let your eyes look directly forward, and your gaze be straight before you. Ponder the path of your feet; then all your ways will be sure. Do not swerve to the right or to the left; turn your foot away from evil.” - Proverbs 4:1-27 ESV
If your parents are still around, let them know what lessons they taught you that you appreciate and have helped you become the person you are today…I tell you that they will appreciate it more than the most expensive present.
Someday you’ll likely find yourself in a position where you can no longer share those compliments and wish you could.
