in speaking with a friend recently, I was allowed into the mind of a parent of a child astray…
it wasn’t that this person’s child was into, what most would term, immoral behavior, it was their expression of sadness at their child’s world-view which reflected a greater importance of material over relationship…
Sweet Anna and I (at the recommendation of Princess Irene) went to see ‘Leap Year’ last night. I discovered the theme there too…
material was being placed over relationship…
and when the moment came to really discover what was important, there was disappointment about the choices made by one who should have cared more about relationship, about person, than about the material possession, about success…
as I spoke with my friend, I realized that this parent was more sad than mad… there was a bit of anger mixed in with the sadness, but it was mostly sadness at the priorities…
I thought of the Prodigal Son’s father. He stood on the road waiting and watching, I bet he was sad too… but hopeful… that his child would return from his waywardness (in this case caring more about success and stuff than relationships)… that the son would come back home…
In this story Jesus told, the father in the story represents God the Father… who, I bet, looks at our hearts and our decisions with more sadness than anger…
my friend’s adult child should know better and put relationship and people over material and success…
I should too.
What about you?
kingdom travelin' 