Seeds of Truth

On Sunday, the United States population celebrated Father’s Day. I have heard it commented that those types of holidays were created by Hallmark to sell cards and gifts. We don’t need that kind of cynicism to take the joy out of days that honor mothers or fathers. Actually, I believe a day to honor those special people in our lives is very biblical. To honor one’s parents is one of the Ten Commandments that God laid out for His people. Our family always begins our Mother’s Days and Father’s Days in church. Yesterday was no exception. Two of our daughters were there so with their families we took up a few more chairs than a complete row. In front of my husband and me sat two grandchildren. One of those was Sydney, our eleven-year-old granddaughter and the other was our eleven-year-old grandson, Isaiah. Those two have been best buddies since their first couple months of life. They are two weeks apart in age to the day. It was very predictable that they would sit together. At one point in the service, our pastor asked all the fathers and grandfathers to stand so that he could pray for them. Then he asked those around the fathers and grandfathers to lay hands on them while he prayed. I placed my hand on my husband who is a wonderful dad and a great grandpa. I’m not sure why I opened my eyes during the prayer but what I saw brought an immediate flood of tears to my eyes and I had a difficult time stopping them. My husband had his hands on the chair in front of him in which Isaiah was sitting. Isaiah had his preteen hand on his grandpa’s hand and kept it there for the duration of the prayer. There are special reasons why that scene touched my emotions. Isaiah was born to our daughter when she was sixteen and he has never known his biological father. He has been in our home for ten of his eleven years. Isaiah told his aunt this weekend that Grandpa was really his dad. To see that boy recognize the importance of participating in the prayer of the pastor for “his dad” brought a thrill to my heart. It was a thrill that confirmed that we are succeeding with our day-to-day grand parenting of this dear child. More than anything, we want for Isaiah what we want for our own children and all our grandchildren, that he love and serve the one true God; Father, Son and Holy Spirit with all his heart, mind, soul, and strength. We know that is the work of the Spirit, but we sure do want to cooperate with Him. With love and example, parents and grandparents can prepare the soil of a young person’s heart that make it ready for the seeds of truth to sprout and take root. Isn’t that our true goal in life? I know it is mine. God help each of us.