Fire is one of my favorite things. I love camping mostly because I get to build a fire and watch it. It is mesmerizing. It is amazing really. It is also a dangerous thing. When I was a young boy my dad and I were in the back of the property burning up some brush. It was mostly a white pile of hot embers at the time and so I threw in a new stick. My Dad was in the front of the house getting more wood and I grabed at that stick to move it again and BAM new flame burned my hand. My dad came running and got me some ice to help my hand heal. I was in a lot of pain but it could have been a lot worse. As a kid I didn’t understand the danger. I was in playing with fire.
Last week I had the privilege of sharing the staff devotion for the school teachers. I know most school devotions take the form of reading something you find meaningful to share with others. I read a text from Jude
22 Be merciful to those who doubt; 23 save others by snatching them from the fire; to others show mercy, mixed with fear—hating even the clothing stained by corrupted flesh. Jude 22-23 NIV
These verses remind us of the our ministry among each other. Every day my goal is to help my kids be snatched from the fire. I pray every day God uses me to snatch other kids and families from the fire. Their is no greater calling as a parent, Dad, friend or minister. This is serious business and God has called all of us to be a part of it. The Holy Spirit does the work. He changes hearts, He changes minds, we just get to be a part of it.
In the season of Christmas and the crazy times we are living remember to be merciful to those who are struggling. Be merciful to those who don’t know Jesus. Be merciful to all you meet. You just may be a part of snatching them from the fire.
When I was a kid I remember all sorts of catalogs of toys especially this time of year. We would often get the big toys r us book around Christmas and circle all the things we wanted to get. We were so excited when it came. We probably circled 200 items in the whole catalog. It probably would have been easier if we had just crossed off the things we didn’t want.
So here is the thing. I am not a perfect parent. In fact I probably do more wrong than I do right. I fail to have patience. I fail to look up from my computer screen. I fail to say the right things at the right times. I miss the mark on so many occasions. In fact today I was talking with another Dad and we both commented on how this parenting thing doesn’t have a manual to follow more of a play book. You run certain plays and sometimes it works and more than often it fails. My goal isn’t to be a perfect parent. In fact I would say may goal has nothing to do with even being a good parent.
youthguysteve 