Don't Disrespect Your Mom!

​TK sat across from me in RN74 a restaurant on Mission Street in San Francisco after a great day at the RSA Conference in the Moscone Center.  One of my favorite activities is hearing people talk about their passions.  In between his bites of roast duck, TK shared how much he enjoyed coaching youth in lacrosse.  Then he illustrated why by sharing how he once overheard a player mouthing off to his mother in a disrespectful manner.  At the end of the practice, he called out the player and told him he would be running five extra laps around the field with him.  Of course the player wondered why he was getting disciplined.  After running, TK explained what he heard the player say to his mother and then told him that such behavior was intolerable and that when he saw her he was to apologize.

Much later the mother approached TK and asked him what he had said to her son.  She noticed a significant difference in his behavior towards her. She then related how recently he was frustrated with her for not letting him borrow the car and started spewing foul language. She stopped him and asked him what he had said.  He remembered TK’s admonition and promptly apologized for his words.  
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Coaching young boys or girls is a tremendous way to infuse character lessons.  Life is about much more than competing to win games, it is about how we conduct ourselves each day. Good for TK for recognizing this and making a difference in the lives of those he coaches.   I was particularly impressed that he ran the extra laps with his player.
 
Meditation
Exodus 20:12—Honor your father and your mother so that you may have a long life in the land that the LORD your God is giving you.
 
Have you ever noticed that bitter people age faster and die poorly?  Dishonoring those in authority or senior to us is a sure recipe for bitterness.  The fifth commandment God gave Moses to teach the Israelites is the only one which comes with a stated blessing—long life.  When we treat our parents well we live well.  We rise above frustration, selfishness, trials and challenges and take the high ground. God commands us to honor our parents knowing that such behavior leads to honoring Him—something to think about . . . in reveration!  
 
Inspiration
Watch this clip to get an inspirational reminder of why respect is so valuable—http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2kpLDkWg5DA
 
©2014 Daniel York  ARR. Reveration is the weekly devotional ministry of First Cause.  If you would like to receive these devotionals go to www.firstcause.org and click on the “Click here to receive weekly devotionals” box.  Unlimited permission to copy this devotional without altering text or profiteering is allowed subject to inclusion of this copyright notice.      
 
Ecclesiastes 12:10-The Teacher sought to find delightful sayings and to accurately write words of truth.  (Holman CSB)