No greater joy

This weekend our youngest turned 21.  About 50 friends and family came together for a celebration and some very nice things were said about him (being his father I can objectively say that they were all true!)

More years ago I than I care to remember I wrote a study on the words of an ancient writer, "I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth.*"  Like the author, I've experienced the same many times with a number of 'children' - people who I've been privileged to assist in a spiritual birth & growth process, and who years later continue on that same journey. 

But in this situation, one's flesh and blood, there is added poignancy.  Like his older brother, when he was very young we had a service of dedication for him.  The dedication was ours, not his.  We thanked God for his arrival, and acknowledged that not only had God given him to us, but that we gave him back to God, committing ourselves to bring him up by example and teaching to follow God so that he might in time make his own informed choice to follow Jesus.  Well, despite my frequent mistakes and inconsistent parenting skills, by God's good grace he (like his older brother) did make that decision and continues to make Jesus a priority in his lifestyle choices and example.

As a parent one is influenced by all kinds of wishes for one's children.  Among them are happiness, health, wealth etc, etc.  But I remind myself that that which really matters is that they walk in the truth.  And I'm thankful to God for an amazing wife, Christian friends and a great church who have all lived out love and forgiveness, and taught our sons why the decision to follow Jesus is the key decision to make.

* The Bible, 3 John verse 4