As we finish out this year, I had to share this video I saw on Facebook yesterday and probably not for the reason that you think. Watch it before you read on.
You probably found the video touching. Many people do. You may have thought it makes a good point. It does. It’s well made and overall, it’s compelling, and it has, on the surface a good message, so well done. Now here’s what’s wrong with it.
You may think the son is an ingrate. You’re right, he is. He’s a pretty awful human being, but his father is an idiot. (I can say that because he’s not real.) Here’s why. The father gave his son a tremendous gift, actually more than he asked for and had I done this and my son reacted that way, I would have no doubt been infuriated, However, I would have not missed the rest of my life with my son over a botched gift or an unfortunate moment of greedy stupidity. What kept this father and son apart for the rest of their lives? Pride. The sin that made the devil fall.
The father in this story was willing to lose a son over a car and far too many people have fallen to this level of idiocy in the real world. Oh we feel all bad for this father who was hurt by his terrible son, but what would have happened if the father flipped out and said, “The car key’s in the back of the journal you jerk.” Now the son apologizes, learns a valuable lesson and the father gets to forgive and spend the rest of his life with his son (who is now humbled and smarter for the future). Instead the father chose to lick his wounds, nurse his pitiful pride and lose his son over what? A car? It’s absurd.
When telling a story, it’s important to make sure you’re making the point you need to make. Pride and idiocy are best friends. The creators of the video were trying to make the point of gratitude and “don’t know what you’ve got ’til it’s gone” and they succeeded but in the process they missed the bigger point of the importance of being the bigger person. God said “Don’t let the sun go down on your anger” for a reason. As we close out this year, are there any broken relationships in your life that need healing. It starts by extending the grace we have received in Christ.
Don’t let pride make you an idiot.
AMOKArts 