An elderly woman lay motionless on her bed, drawing shallow breaths, occasionally casting loving glances at her family and speaking ever-so softly. In a few hours, she would take her final breath.
This beautiful lady was the gentle matriarch of a wonderful Christian family. She had raised three faithful children, lovingly stood by her husband’s side as he served as an elder in the Lord’s church for three decades, and she was esteemed highly by every member of her church family.
Her children and grandchildren had gathered at her bedside. They were talking and singing, and just loving on their Granny. They were tenderly trying to glean as much wisdom from her as they could, even in these last hours, but without pressing her too much. Finally, one of the granddaughters asked, “Granny, if there was one thing that you could have done differently, what would it have been?” In a crackling and yet silky voice, Granny responded, “I wish I had taken my kids to church less.” The room went silent. Everyone glared at each other. What did she just say? Only a few seconds passed, but it seemed like minutes. Granny playfully peeked her eyes open. Her life was fading but her wit was still strong. “What nut said that?” she quipped. “Not this one for sure! Honey,” she motioned to her granddaughter, “I wouldn’t change a thing in the world! My family is all in the church and Gramps is with the Lord! There’s nothing better than that!”
May I ask all parents a question? When you are laying on your death bed, what do you want more than anything else for your children?
In your final breaths, what do you want to be able to say? “My boy won the little league championship and was the MVP”? “My daughter set new school records in every track event she ran”? “My son was the easiest child to raise and followed every one of our rules”? “My daughter graduated at the top of her class and went on to be the first female CEO of her company”? “My children paid to put me in the best assisted living facility in the state”?
OR, do you long to say in those last moments of earth-bound life, “My family is all in the church”? What parent doesn’t want to be able to say that? But, a dream like that doesn’t come true just by wishing it! It takes effort! It takes perseverance! It takes personal sacrifice! AND, it cannot start too early! “Train up a child in the way he should go” begins with your priorities even before a child’s birth!
No Christian parent would ever say, “I wish I had taken my kids to church less,” for “going to church” helps us to instill those eternal longings we yearn for all of them to have!