Can You Hear Me Now?

I wasn't the only grandpa there, but we were certainly in the minority. I was asked to fill in for a dad in a preschool class for five-year olds. It was "Doughnuts for Dads" day. The plan was that the dads (or their substitutes) would spend some time sharing a doughnut and a small part of the first part of their day with the child. What a great concept. It was a sight to behold. All those men trying to sit in those tiny little chairs at those tiny little tables was hilarious, but in my case was hazardous. Once I got down that low, I didn't know if I could ever stand up straight again! The kids were so excited as they served the men their doughnuts and I could see that this day meant a lot to them. Then I saw a couple of kids that made me sad. They had no dads or fill-ins with them. They were just watching the others interact. I wonder what they were thinking. I silently prayed for them to overcome such a shortcoming in their early lives. I began to muse about the influence that a father has in the life of their children when they are present to share in their lives, or even when they share some doughnuts. There is also a huge influence when a father is absent...not only on "Doughnuts for Dads" day, but everyday and all day. Nothing compares with the lack of a father's presence. But here is one thing that competes with it. It's the father who is "there, but not here". I saw a few of those. At least five of the men were there with their cell phones in their ear, managing their business from a distance, while the children were competing for their attention, close by, yet far away. The kids tried in vain to show a couple of the fathers a favorite book of theirs or something they had made. "Doughnuts for Dads" only lasted a few minutes. In fifteen minutes we were done. I wonder how many of these fathers had gone to a movie lately or a concert where the cell phone was off limits, and they willingly complied. In ancient times, I wonder how guys like me ever survived when someone left a message while we were busy and we called them back later. I don't want to sound like I was the perfect father. But I am speaking from a perspective of one who may have been "there, but not here" more than I realized. We can waste the years we have been given to be a great influence when our priorities are skewed. The potential for damage is great. Communication works like this. When one person calls another, they usually have the option of leaving a message...or not. The person who was called has the option to return the call...or not. If there are too many unreturned calls, the day will come when there will be no more messages. There will be no more calls. The caller will talk to others, interacting with them and being influenced by them, for good or evil. For the fathers who are "there, but not here", I'd like to leave the following message: Hey, dude...listen up! Your children are calling you... They have left many messages... they will stop calling you sooner than you think...take the phone out of your ear and put it in your pocket...nothing is more important today than hearing your child's heart, interacting with them, and using your influence...for good and not evil. Consider the following:
"Amon was twenty-two years old when he became king, and he reigned two years in Jerusalem; ...He did evil in the sight of the LORD, as Manasseh his father had done. For he walked in all the way that his father had walked, and served the idols that his father had served and worshiped them. So he forsook the LORD, the God of his fathers, and did not walk in the way of the LORD." (2 Kings 21:19-22)
"Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord." (Ephesians 6:4)
It's hard to argue with this kind of Fatherly wisdom, don't you think? Can you hear me now???
Blessings to you,
Sam