God’s model

I could feel and taste warm blood with my tongue; it was coming from my lip where I had just bitten it hard. I was trying my utmost to refrain from letting someone have a piece of mind for making derogatory remarks about one of my sons. It was especially difficult because they were belittling and making fun of him essentially because he loves his mother and comes to her often for advice. My sons also routinely come to me for advice on a variety of subjects. I suppose my question is who better to come to than someone who you know loves you and has your best interests at heart?

I suppose it seems strange for a grown person to have a very close relationship with one’s parents in today’s world. I feel that aside from my salvation and my family’s salvation that my close relationship with my wife and sons is the singular most cherished blessing that God has bestowed upon me. Not only do we love each other from a family perspective, but we are good “friends” and enjoy just being around each other at work or at play. I have been extremely fortunate to have the privilege of closely working with my sons on a daily basis and we talk to each other throughout the day about business matters whether we are all in different cities or together at our headquarters. Often later that night they will call me or I will call them just to say hello and shoot the breeze, even though we might have talked and met with each other for hours during the day. Before they get off the phone they always ask to speak to their mother and then they shoot the breeze with her for a while.

I have hunted, fished, played golf, gone out to eat, or to the movies, or to a ballgame, just hung out, and gone on vacation with my boys and many of their friends essentially all of their lives. I wouldn’t take all of the money in the world for those experiences. I feel sorry for those who cannot enjoy their family in like manner. I am asked all of the time if it is difficult to run a family owned business. Not at all, in fact it is great fun and I am extremely blessed to be a part of it.

It is interesting to me to study the Bible and learn that God wants just that kind of relationship with us. He wants to be a part of every aspect of our lives including joyous times and sad times. He desires to be with us in everything we do. He wants us to love Him just like He loves us and to come to Him about serious matters or just to shoot the breeze about the small stuff. I can relate in my own way because I love my family in similar fashion. This is one reason I think the family is stressed so much in the Bible. God uses it to demonstrate how our love for Him and each other including His church should be. Together we face trials and together we enjoy victories.

If you think this is dorky or something for which one should be ashamed, “you” have the problem and not those who enjoy life to its fullest.

1 Cor. 12:26
And if one member suffers, all the
members suffer with it; or if one
member is honored, all the members
rejoice with it.