No Time

A career-driven Mom of 3 hurried through their home to prepare a breakfast for her husband and children as they went about their normal busy morning. With a focus on getting the next promotion and the next acknowledgement from their boss, they had very little time for ‘family’. During a race to church, the parents gave the family a quick ‘how to behave’ spiel, in a moment of guilt for being too busy to actually teach their children anything of value. As the family hurried in the church to hear the Sunday Sermon, the Pastor was speaking on family values and influences.

Pastor: The power of influence (good or bad)can go beyond your reach. According to Romans 5:19, for as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous. You may have not been the best influencer; but, God is giving you an opportunity to get it right today. The alter is now open.

The youngest, 11 year old Timothy was always unashamed and willing to speak up. Mom he said, God is giving you and Dad an opportunity to get it right.

Mom: Timothy, hush. Not now.

No walk to the alter by his parents. Back to life as normal.

Years passed and the children grew and left for college and began their lives. The parents were older, in poor health, and no longer in the rat-race of corporate America. Now the parents needed their children and their compassion but none where there. The mom would call and leave messages for their children and not one of them would return their calls. Finally the mom reached Timothy to let him know that his Dad had passed away in his sleep. When Timothy answered the phone, he said, ‘Mom, I am busy..what is it?’.

As the mom tried to muster up the words to tell Timothy of his Dad’s passing, instead she began to weep and say that she missed him so much and would love to see him. She wanted him to know that she did not feel well now and that his Dad…his Dad… Before she finished, the phone dropped and there was silence. Timothy just hung up.

Days went by and Timothy never tried to call his mom back. At the funeral for his Mom and Dad, Timothy and his siblings were numb, no outward emotions, no words – nothing. At the burial site, the preacher said, ‘thank God for positive influence that these parents had on their children to make them be so strong in such a time as this. It reminds me of a sermon I preached years back about the power of influence. It reaches deep, deeper than you could imagine.

Timothy, stood and said, Pastor, is the alter call still open? The pastor had a perplexed look on his face…well son..there was no alter call just now. Timothy said not now…but there was some years ago. My parents did have an influence on me; but, not as you would expect. Instead, I was taught how to ignore God and his call, to focus on everyone but my family and their needs. I was taught how to hurt and move on, even taught how to know to do better and just don’t…I was taught how to live a lie. I want a different lesson so I don’t die in the condition my parents experienced. Is the alter call still open?

What influence have you had on your family and others around you?