Thumbs Up

Jun 15, 2021

And lo a voice from heaven, saying, “This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased."

- God the Father, Mark 1:11

"I saw tomorrow.

I saw tomorrow marching.

I saw tomorrow marching on little children's feet.

Within their forms and faces her prophecy now complete.

I saw tomorrow look at me from little children's eyes

and thought, how carefully we would teach if we

were really wise."

- Anonymous

Few things fill up a heart like a good father's honest, loving, affirmation to a son, to a daughter. God the Father did not withhold the delight He took in His son… and neither should we! When my son turned six, I signed him up for teeball and told him this:

"Son, because you're just a little guy and you know nothing about this game… you don't know the rules of the game, you don't know how to play the game. So let me tell you how you will know whether you're doing good or whether you're doing bad. Here's what we'll do… I will stand in a place near the field where you can see me and if you're doing good, I'll give you one of these… a thumbs up!

Even if you strike out… even if you drop the ball… even if you run the wrong way… if you tried your best, I'm gonna give you one of these… a thumbs up! And so when you see that, you'll know that you did good. Because I know you can't hit the ball like Billy… cause Billy's on steroids and he looks like he's 25 and his Dad's the coach (just kidding… but Billy did have chest hair)... and we can't help that.”

So we worked out a little system, and all season long… in fact, all life long… after doing what he thought he should do… the best that he could do… win or lose… safe or out… Tyler would glance at me and always get one of these… a thumbs up!"

The night that General Douglas McArthur's only son was born… after holding him for the first time… he walked into his study, knelt down, and prayed this prayer:

"Build me a son, O Lord, who will be strong enough to know when he is weak, and brave enough to face himself when he is afraid; one who will be proud and unbending in honest defeat, and humble and gentle in victory.

Build me a son whose wishes will not take the place of deeds; a son who will know Thee -- and that to know himself is the foundation stone of knowledge.

Lead him, I pray, not in the path of ease and comfort, but under the stress and spur of difficulties and challenge. Here let him learn to stand up in the storm; here let him learn compassion for those who fail.

Build me a son whose heart will be clear, whose goal will be high; a son who will master himself before he seeks to master other men; one who will reach into the future, yet never forget the past.

And after all these things are his, add, I pray, enough of a sense of humor, so that he may always be serious, yet never take himself too seriously. Give him humility, so that he may always remember the simplicity of true greatness, the open mind of true wisdom, and the weakness of true strength.

Then I, his father, will dare to whisper, 'I have not lived in vain.'"

- General Douglas McArthur, American Caesar p.314

Jesus stood with confidence in every situation… in every storm he faced… before every person or power He encountered… and He did not feel like He had to prove anything to anybody, because He knew He belonged to a Father who had given Him a thumbs up!