“He hurt his arm and seems to be in a lot of pain”. These were the words I heard over the phone. Our son was at a friends house playing and the mom called to inform me of an accident he had. I talked to him and could hear the pain in his voice, so I headed over to pick him up. His arm was swollen and he was in obvious pain. So I took him to the ER and found out he had a broken forearm. But the physical was not causing him the greatest amount of pain, it was the discouragement of missed opportunities that hurt most.

Being 7 years old and in the middle of summer, my son realized all the things he would miss out on. No more throwing the ball around in the backyard, no bike rides through the neighborhood, and worst of all – no swimming in the pool (at least for the next 4 weeks). It was a hard moment for a kid and it was a difficult time for me as a dad. There are few things harder in life than seeing your child in pain, especially when that hurt is from disappointment and loss. But it was a great teaching opportunity…

 When the world comes crumbling down, knowing where to seek refuge is critical.

Dan Andros

As a parent I would love to guarantee and provide a life full of excitement, fulfilled promises, and more for my kids. However, I know that would not only hinder them in some of the greatest ways possible, it’s just not how the world works. This is why I loved Dan Andros article “Why I’m Telling My Sons to Be Like Bears Kicker Cody Parkey, Who Was Booed Off the Field After Missing the Game Winning Kick“.

While this incident happened over a year ago and is like ancient history, the truths it can teach are priceless for my children. The message is clear: an eternal perspective on ephemeral realities keeps things in their proper perspective. I hope you enjoy the article, share it with your kids, neighbors, and friends, and let me know other ways we can help our kids have an eternal perspective in daily routines. As always be with the Lord’s people on the Lord’s day.

Photo by Dave Adamson on Unsplash