George Sr. thought his life was about as good as it could possibly get. After God blessed him and Sue with two lovely daughters, they found themselves the proud parents of a gorgeous baby boy. They named him George Jr. and George Sr. promptly deposited on his son’s tiny shoulders dreams of a brilliant future. George Sr. wanted his son to have all the advantages that he himself never had. Nothing was too good for little Georgie, the apple of his father’s eye.
AN ACCOMPLISHED SON
Georgie was an adorable precocious child with a lively imagination. He quickly captivated adults with his friendly nature and sense of humor. George Sr. continuously gave a long running tally of his son’s accomplishment to everyone in earshot. Georgie’s future would far exceed the life of George Sr. The boy possessed a knack for quickly charming his father. Seldom did Georgie suffer from his bad behaviors.
ANOTHER FINE LOOKING SON
II Samuel tells of another father who took the easy road with his son. Everyone agreed that Absalom, David’s son, was one fine-looking man. Scripture says, “Now Absalom was praised as the most handsome man in all Israel. He was flawless from head to foot.” (II Sam. 14:25). If there had been a Mr. Israel Competition, Absalom would have won, hands-down. As is often the case with parents of winsome children, David took the easy road and indulged his son. He let Absalom’s sins go far too long without discipline.
THE SCHEMER
Absalom demonstrated a knack for making the most of every opportunity to promote his own schemes. God ordained that brother Solomon would be the next king, not Absalom. Regardless of God plan, people seemed only too glad to support “Mr. Israel”. Absalom led a revolt. The products of Absalom’s character were murder, arson, slander, and theft of the hearts of his father’s subjects. He thought nothing of shamelessly sleeping on the rooftop with his father’s harem.
Absalom met his ignominious end dangling from a tree by those gorgeous locks of hair everyone had earlier admired. The man who erected a large monument to himself wound up being buried under a large heap of rocks in the forest.
NOT SO ENTERTAINING
No child can learn discipline from a parent who turns a blind eye. Georgie is now an adult and has yet to learn that the world was not created for his own amusement. The childish antics earlier charmed everyone. Nowadays, people do not find encounters with the adult Georgie entertaining. George Sr. is bewildered by a son who changes hair color and professions at the drop of a hat. He doesn’t understand this stranger who regards with contempt everything George Sr. holds dear. The source of his joy has turned into a source of profound sorrow.
David also mourned over the loss of his troubled son. When David heard the news of his son’s death, his heart wailed, “Absalom, my son! My son! If only I had died instead of you!”
David and George Sr. loved greatly but learned too late that God cannot be left out of the parenting agenda. Children are to be nurtured and pruned (when necessary); never to be worshipped.
