"Be the Man!" Week 14

George Jenkins, Sampson Davi,s and Rameck Hunt call themselves “The Three Doctors.”  They are all products of broken homes from Newark’s inner city.  Their fathers were mostly absent.  Their trajectory could have easily been predicted by any sociologist or social worker, except for one remarkable pledge.  As high school seniors they made a pact with each other to go to college and then on to medical school.  Each accomplished his mission, but something still ate at their souls.  They missed their dads.  They were hurt by their dads’ absence and wounded by some of their actions in the past.  But instead of seething in bitterness or burying painful memories, each of these young African Americans decided as a son to bridge the gap with their fathers.  Though the results were less than perfect, as they document in their book The Bond, the effort has reverberated with the promise God gave to all children who honor their parents:  “...that you may enjoy long life on the earth.” (Ephesians 6:3)  Even stumbling upon this life-giving truth—perhaps not even realizing it was from the Bible-- transformed the lives of these young men.  How much more would be the impact of deliberately choosing to honor one’s parents in conscious obedience of the fifth commandment.  Long life, vitality, and safe habitation are the powerful incentives that induce this honor toward parents.  We ignore it to our peril, but we can practice it for our blessing! Roger