Pickle Heaven Press-James R. Johnson

something to help you laugh and think about life with Christ

Tag: family

a different kind of dad — June 12, 2024

a different kind of dad

/pickleheavenpress

There is a man in the Bible called Joshua the son of Nun.  OK, Nun was actually the name of his dad.   And no, his dad did not belong to a convent.  So, what was his mom’s name?  Nun of your business. 

Joshua is my hero and mentor when it comes to fatherhood. 

Moses led the children of Israel to the border of Canaan land.  Joshua’s job was to lead them in the conquest of it.  They crossed the Jordan and by faith, they loosened the grip of the Canaanites.  The campaign took 7 years.  Scholars believe that Joshua was about 77 years old by the end of it.

His people had a history of spiritually waffling.  So, he gave them a post-invasion pep talk in Joshua 24. He challenged them to remain true to the God who had given them the land. 

Then he put some skin in the game saying, “As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord” – Joshua 24:15. (KJV) He boldly promised that, as the leader of his home, he would be faithful to the Lord and teach his children to do the same.   

Once Joshua said his piece, he melted into the landscape.  We don’t hear of him again until he dies of natural causes nearly 33 years later.  (Joshua 24:29)

Now this is quite incredible.  The 33 years of silence that followed his public life projects a very loud message.  You see in those days, when a leader type had success, especially in war, his people would often press the man to become their permanent king.

Gideon successfully rallied his people to overthrow their Midianite oppressors.  The Israelites responded saying, “Rule over us—you, your son, and your grandson” Judges 8:22.   NETBible ®

After Saul died, one of his sons would have typically succeeded him.   But young David was the popular candidate with his warriors (1 Chronicles 11:10).

Jesus had just fed the 5,000 with a few fishes and loaves – clearly an extraordinary miracle.   The diners wanted free meals forever, so they planned to, “seize him by force to make him king” – John 6:15.

After his stunning success, Joshua could have easily proclaimed himself king.  But he understood that God was to be the King of Israel, and the land ruled by His Law.  So, he declined the riches of royalty and withdrew to the hill country and quietly worked the land instead. 

But didn’t he talk about “his house?” Didn’t he have a wife and children?  The Scripture is full of endless genealogies, but there isn’t one for Joshua’s descendants.  No mention of them at all. 

Again, this is unexpected if not amazing – because great leaders often sired greedy kids.  They would rule once dad had passed.  Gideon left 72 sons behind.  The one called Abimelech murdered 70 of his brothers and then proclaimed himself King (Judges 9). 

Joshua’s children, however, must have been spiritually shaped by their godly daddy.  They were pleased to have God as their King.  And like their daddy, they declined the thrill of the throne and chose fun on the farm instead.

We live in a much different world today, but the need is the same – fathers who provide courageous, loving, spiritual leadership for their families.  

I have a friend who made a Joshua commitment as a young man.  He and his wife raised 4 kids.  He didn’t need to bail any out of jail or send them to rehab.  Not a rebel among them.   All four made their own commitment to the Lord early on.

The 4 have sired twice that many.  Each one follows in grandpa’s footsteps, and they are quickly multiplying great grandkids who are blessed by their commitment.

Certainly, there is no parenting guarantee.  Silly kids sometimes reject the best moms and dads. 

Even so, I would rather raise my kids with the gracious, empowering involvement of God than without it.

A PRAYER: Lord I am an older dad, but I want to be a great one.  Help me.

This has been Jim Johnson and pickleheavenpress.com

May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you

Scripture references are from the NETBible ®

the last thing remembered — May 12, 2021

Landscape

the last thing remembered

/pickleheavenpress

Old age is a sorter of memories and it’s interesting what gets sifted out.  I interviewed a sweet new friend recently.  Though he is over 90, he is possibly sharper than I am. 

But he struggled some with memory issues.  He could tell me about his children, and his grandkids and his devoted wife who had passed. 

But then I asked him what he had done for a living.  He stopped and pondered – and eventually said, “Well I don’t know.” 

So odd.  Why did time sift out that huge chunk of his memory?

My dad was also stumped when I asked the same question.  He was in his eighties – also struggling with memory issues.   He had spent most of his working his life as a truck driver and did some mechanic work on the side.

6 days and 60 to 70 hours a week he gave to his work.  And he did it well.  He was highly regarded by his bosses and admired by his fellow employees.  He put not everything, but an awful lot into it.  I have many memories of watching him leave us to go to work. 

But at age 87, he could not remember what he did for all those years.  He could still remember his family – but not the Keebler Biscuit Company.  

Why is that? 

Don’t know, but I can guess. 

The job gave him callused hands and a paycheck.  Sustenance!  Certainly, necessary for the care and feeding of his brood, but in the end – it was just a job. 

The family gave him more. Significance!  He married an auburn-haired beauty who forsook all to take up life with him.  She admired him and believed in him and stood by him through thick and thin.   She touched his soul.   They spent over 60 memory packed years together

He gave life to 5 kids who idolized him and took every opportunity to wrestle him to the floor.   They made him laugh and cry!  His values shaped theirs and it was with immense pride that he launched each one.  Their success or failure became the barometer reading of his heart.  

And then there were the grandkids and the greats.  What’s not to love and cherish?

Work had its memories to be sure – 60-70 weekly hours of boring routine occasionally interrupted with grumbling over the boss or the union dues. 

His memories of the family, on the other hand, were so much richer and multifaceted and rewarding and emotionally engaging and they touched every area of his existence. 

So why did he and why do I and most every other adult I know allow that which will be forgotten to crowd out that which will be remembered? 

In the book of Proverbs old Solomon wrote, “He who finds a wife finds a good thing.”

Prov 18:22   I have scoured the Scripture and have failed to find a particular job that was acclaimed in this way.

As far as kids, the Psalmist said, “Behold, children are a gift of the Lord. The fruit of the womb is a reward.”  Psalm 127:3   A job is a responsibility – kids are a reward. 

He went on to say, “Like arrows in the hand of a warrior, so are the children of one’s youth.”  (127:4) In other words, an older person is protected and sustained by the children he sired in his youth. 

He caps it off by saying, “How blessed is the man whose quiver is full of them.”  Ps 127:5. The man with many children is blessed.  The man with many jobs is not.  He may be overworked and wealthy, but he is not blessed.

I am semi-retired but still working.  Yet, I have determined that from now on my family will get my best.  If work gets in the way, then work will go.  Too little too late – I know.    

You, however, may be able to adjust your priorities sooner.  Do it!   Give the best of your heart to your family instead of your work.  The reward is far greater and the memories longer lasting. 

A PRAYER: Lord a commitment like this is hard to keep.  Help me guard it with my life.

All Scripture references from the New American Standard Updated