Our oldest son, Robbie, came home from classes and asked me to take a ride with him in his car. My first response – as my to do list ran through my mind – was to tell him that it was not going to happen today.
He went on into the other room and I sat and thought about how I had put him off until another time.
I thought about everything that I needed to be doing. Then I thought about how I was just kidding myself about having more time tomorrow or even the next day. I knew the weekend was going to be full. Soon it would be next week.
Whatever it was that he really wanted to show me, he would not be nearly as excited about it a week from now. I knew that I was not being there for him. I was not sharing in his life. I was not sharing in his joy.
Although it is not true, the message I was conveying was that he did not matter nearly as much as what I was working on at the moment.
I knew the right thing to do was to put Robbie before my workload. My next deadline was not until the next day, and I could always work late to finish what I needed to do. Robbie doesn’t ask me often to stop and ride with him. I knew it meant a lot to him.
I went and got him, and we took that ride! Yes, I wound up working late, but Robbie is worth it!
Are you putting your children on hold? How long have you been putting them on hold? Do you say you will spend time with them tomorrow, but tomorrow never comes?
Lo, children are an heritage of the LORD: and the fruit of the womb is his reward.
Psalms 127:3
God gave us our families. It’s easy to get busy and not spend time with them. I encourage you to invest yourself in your family. What might not seem like a big deal to you, could be very important to them. The time you spend with them is not ever time wasted. It’s an investment.
If you stay busy with work while your children are young, they will be grown before you know it. Those days you can’t get back. The opportunities you have for bonding will be gone. The opportunities you have to intervene in situations where they really need you to be will be missed. The celebrations of their lives, the times you could create memories will all be gone in a blink.
Perhaps you cannot take a lot of time off work. Take a few minutes here and there each day to let them know you care. Listen to your children when they are speaking. Make a point to sit down and talk with them during dinner. Be there for them.
LIFE APPLICATION
Key Focal Verse:
His lord said unto him, Well done, good and faithful servant; thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord.
Matthew 25:23
Today’s challenge is to ask God to show you who needs you to be there for them. Maybe it’s a ride in a car. Maybe it’s a visit to a rest home. Maybe it’s taking someone to a doctor. Who needs you? Ask God to help you see that you need to be there for them.