Why am I continually shocked when I catch myself messing up? I tend to be legalistic, which has its advantages and disadvantages.
Sitting in church, I watched a dad and his son. What struck me was that in the middle of the sermon, the father pulled out his cell phone and started typing.
What! What could possibly be that important in the middle of the sermon? Yikes! Pay attention. What was worse was that his son was watching him. I was thinking, “You are teaching your son it’s okay to text during a church service? Are you kidding me?”
I tried to contain my thoughts and refocus. I was able to, but honestly it bothered me. He was teaching his son that it is okay to do that. My bad. I have enough to worry about of my own. Even so, I kept thinking that there may be nothing more powerful than a son’s witnessing his father’s actions. This is especially true during the child’s formative years.
I later found out that the man was actually even more engaged than I was! He was tweeting a highlight of the sermon.
In the words of Homer Simpson, “D’oh!”
Luke 6:37-38
“Judge not, and you will not be judged; condemn not, and you will not be condemned; forgive, and you will be forgiven; give, and it will be given to you. Good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured back to you.”
There may be nothing more powerful than a son’s witnessing his father’s actions. This is especially true during a child’s impressionable years. It is time for me to think of my Father and emulate Him. Thank God for grace.
Thank you God, for Truth, Love, and Laughter,
Darren
Good post and using scripture to close is a two edged sword. i encourage you to keep STAGE TIME is says it all. Get stage time everywhere you can. As you said in your 2002 winning speech, every time you try and even fail you get closer to your goal. I made my Stand Up debut at Second City in Chicago last March. It was four minutes at an Open Mike Session. They did laugh but they were comic want-a-be’s and supportive—-the best type of audience.
Blessing in the New Year and may God be with you.
Ed