NO GREATER JOY

“I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth.”(3 John 1:4 ESV)

I talked my two oldest sons into playing with me in a regional three-on-three basketball game back in 1997.  I’ll spare you the math.  I was 48 years old.  While I’m the one who taught them how to play and still thought I had earned the GOAT (Greatest of All Time) distinction for our immediate family, that’s not how it worked out.  The two of them had an inside-outside game going on.  I was primarily the one who took the ball out and defended my man, usually the slowest, oldest, and less talented member of the other team.  Occasionally I got a shot, but I was no match for my boys.  We advanced to the finals, and we are winning against an out-of-town team of young men.  All of a sudden, I pulled a hamstring muscle, and I had to drag myself, craw slowly off the court.  The alternate comes in for the last few minutes, not a basketball player, so as you would guess he was glad just to get on the court.  Our team won the championship.  What a joy to accomplish this, watching my sons bring home the trophy.  We posed for a picture as they had to help me stand.  My hamstring was still hurting.  As a matter of fact, minutes later, the other hamstring started acting up.  I couldn’t even drive my stick shift car home!  But that did not rob my joy.  Yet that joy is not my greatest joy with these same two sons.

Listen to this true report!  Earlier this month, the younger of these two sons preached his first official sermon and was licensed by the church that I pastor.  The older of the two sons had already been licensed to preach the gospel and now serves faithfully in the capacity of Senior Pastor, replacing me after retirement. After the service where the youngest was licensed, one of our church’s faithful members took a picture of my two sons, ministers of the gospel, along with me.  As with basketball, they each have their own style, but I am confident that they will do a greater work than I have done.  As my role decreases with time, just as in the game described above, they will increase in the work of ministry.  That realization is my greatest joy at the moment. While our children, including yours, should exceed our accomplishments in other fields of life, know that it will be especially rewarding to see them as they develop spiritually, walking the light, and standing on Christ, the Solid Rock. 

Now this, my friend, the greatest joy is yet to come. It will come when we all get to heaven.  As the songwriter says, “What a day of rejoicing that will be.  When we all see Jesus, we’ll sing and shout the victory.”  Now, don’t just read this story, but react to it.  Earlier meditations may have focused on our young children, but today the focus is on making sure our adult children are walking in the truth and fulfilling God’s purpose for Him.  Keep walking on the narrow path of righteousness before them. Let them learn from your words, your walk, and even your adamant willingness to share what you learned from your mistakes in life.  Meditate on these words. “Be blessed!”

“I and the children God gave me as signs to Israel (God’s people), warning signs and hope signs from God-of-the-Angel-Armies, who makes his home in Mount Zion.” (Isaiah 8:18 MSG)

Still committed to the climb, Mark L. King