I had a bit of an “off” day at school today. I was off, the kids were off, the computers were off (too much traffic trying to watch the Inauguration), everything was OFF. The thing that threw me further off than I was when I arrived was my boy sunshine, Sonny. He was WAY off. He hadn’t done his homework because he didn’t have time because of his game—his video game, to clarify. I was left with the unsavory task of following through on consequences that he was well aware of in advance. He shut down, flopped down, and what should have been a fairly easy remedy involving the principal’s intervention ended with three of us—myself, the principal, & the campus policeman—carrying him to the principal’s office. Once there, he refused to budge from his spot on the floor, which was fine since his was no longer a disruption in the hallway. I felt compelled to put in a call to the one person I knew could reach Sonny even in shutdown mode and get him to comply: Mr. Jones.
Mr. Jones is an amazing, soft-spoken man who was the counselor on our campus last year and really helped out with Sonny and got to him in a way no one else could. I don’t know what it is in Mr. Jones that Sonny responds to, but something about the man makes Sonny want to obey him. Personally, I believe it’s the Holy Spirit. I know Mr. Jones to be a godly man of faith. He is good, kind, and yet no-nonsense. When I saw him approaching the building in his crimson shirt and khaki slacks, he may as well have been on a great white horse, armor blazing in the morning sun. I knew everything was going to be OK because of his connection with Sonny. And it was.
He spoke to Sonny about his strengths. How tough he is when he is faced with obstacles and how he conquers them, something that is true about Sonny on a selective basis. Mr. Jones told Sonny how he knew he was a good, strong boy who didn’t need to flop in the floor because he is tough and can take responsibility. Sonny does not generally take responsibility for himself, but he will more often in the future because Mr. Jones put it in his head. Oh that every man in his life could be like Mr. Jones!
One of the great frustrations in my job is the lack of solid, positive male role models in the lives of my children. Some because they don’t have fathers; some because the fathers they have are poor examples. I was so thankful for Mr. Jones last year, and John and Mr. Noles. They were daily examples of strong, positive men and they are missed. How I long to see more men of such caliber! I want to encourage men to be a “Mr. Jones” to children within the sphere of their influence. You guys just don’t know how valuable and vitally important you are! Somewhere, there are little eyes watching you, seeking to know how a man should be . . . so be men:
who “find favor in the eyes of the Lord” Genesis 8:8
“whom the Lord knows face to face” Deuteronomy 34:10
“after His own heart” 1 Samuel 13:14
whose “good understanding produces favor” Proverbs 13:15
Whose “gentle answer turns away wrath” Proverbs 15:1
Who “love at all times” Proverbs 17:17
Who “are the light of the world” Matthew 5:14
Who “walk by faith” 2 Corinthians 5:7
“Of whom the world is not worthy” Hebrews 11:38
4 comments:
AMEN!! I know a few men that fit those words from God. I long to know more. I picked the wrong kind of man to hang around for far too long. I want to raise my sons to fit those words. I am afraid I exposed them too long to the complete opposite. But nothing is impossible with God right?
Thank you Lisa for honoring good godly men.
I liked this post a lot Lisa. As a society our morals seem to have slipped so far down. I keep waiting for God to get sick enough of our evil that He comes back. Come Lord Jesus come.
At the Open I'm very aware of our children right now and the examples they need. Especially from our younger guys. A good deal of our children are coming from families that have been shattered and are just starting to get put back together. Our men have such an opportunity to provide some security for them.
Good thoughts Lisa ... thanks.
Chad drives a bus for Frenship, so his time with the kids is limited to about 30 minutes per day, and most of his interaction is of the "Sit down!" variety. However, he has already heard some STRONG encouragement from our friends at church who work at the school he drives for to be as much of a positive role model as he can be. It's the same sort of thing; he drives a bus full of kids who have absentee or poor-example fathers, and he may be the only man in their lives who encourages them to do the right thing. That is so scary to me-- not that Chad is their only role model :), but that a generation of children is growing up without dads. It puts a heavy responsibility on the men who are around.
Can we add Desmond from Lost to that list? He's my favorite!
Ok, back to reality.....I have been blessed by such godly men in my life. The impact they have left on me has been so tremendous that I know it was no coincidence they were contributors to my spiritual development.
Men like Tony Coffee, Charles Spear, Vance Crowe, and Rex....and of course, my sweet dad, have all set the bar high. God used each of them to teach me more about his nature.
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