477 Clothgirl’s First Date Part 1
Clothgirl’s first date. My oh my.
I always hoped this wouldn’t happen until she was 27 when I, I mean she, would be ready. I suppose I can’t complain too much, she’s 17 and I haven’t had even one testosterone-laced dude asking for her on the phone.
Turns out Clothgirl’s first date couldn’t have had a better scenario had I scripted it myself. Her prom date was Tommy whom I’ve know since birth. He and Clothgirl are practically brother and sister. Good family, good athlete, good grades, good friend. Good, very good!
When Tommy came to pick Clothgirl up our house was teeming with people, hair products, perfume and cameras and he looked a little nervous. Good, a young man should be nervous when he’s about to take a father’s daughter with him, alone.
After the corsages where pinned on and all the pictures taken Tommy looked over at me and asked, “Mr. Clothman, what time should I have Clothgirl home tonight?”
Good for you Tommy, I thought to myself, I know we’re friends, but this is my little girl that you’re taking, alone. Clothwoman and I had planned for this question long before tonight.
“Tommy, we have no curfew.”
Tommy stared at me in shock. “You, you don’t have a time that I need to bring Clothgirl home by?”
“Nope.” Clothgirl and Tommy were speechless waiting for me to get to the punch line of what had to be a joke. “Listen Tommy, I’ve known you since you were born and you’ve never given me a reason to not trust you. Just make sure I trust you tomorrow the same way I do today.”
Where did we get this crazy notion from? God. Jesus and Paul both talked often about being free from following a bunch of rules and regulations and instead following a pure heart. For example Paul said, “It is absolutely clear that God has called you to a free life. Just make sure that you don’t use this freedom as an excuse to do whatever you want to do and destroy your freedom. Rather, use your freedom to serve one another in love, that’s how freedom grows” (Galatians 5:13).
If we were to give Tommy and Clothgirl a curfew they’re primary focus would be fulfilling the law being back by a certain time. This way, their focus is on honoring our mutual trust.
See the difference? A curfew is rule based. Trust is relationship based.
Rules are for children, freedom is for adults. Rules are for training in life, freedom is for living life. Show me someone who is still subject to rules and I’ll show you someone who is still living on the milk of life and has not learned yet to live on solid foods.
How did the date turn out? Let me just say that I trust both Tommy and Clothgirl more now than I did before the prom. Good, very good.
Glen Moyer, pastor of High Point Adventures in Missoula, MT. Contact him at: www.Clothman.com, PO Box 3561, Missoula, MT 59806 or (406) 549-7722.
|
|
