Look out kid, he's coming!

Yesterday I went to one of the neighborhood pools with my two youngest children. We had fun swimming and splashing, playing in the water. It was a nice summer day and the pool was pleasantly full but not crowded.

Another dad, younger than me, was in the water with his son who looked to be the same age as mine. This dad seemed to have been a competitive swimmer in the past and was teaching his son how to swim. I had also worked some with my two but mostly we just played.

After a couple of hours I took a time out to sit at our table while the kids kept swimming. My son Jack was on the ladder getting in when the other boy, also called Jack, was swimming with dad's coaching and a little assistance. The dad was focused on his son, as he should be. They were swimming towards the ladder when the dad noticed there was an obstacle in the path. "Look out kid, he's coming!" he shouted at Jack (my Jack, that is).

Now, if the boy on the ladder was someone else's son, I probably would never have noticed. There was no anger or menace in the other dad's tone, just an urgent command that must be obeyed.

I have written a lot on this blog about spiritual things, about love and forgiveness, etc. etc. etc. But I have a confession to make. I didn't like what this man said to my son, and I didn't like the way he said it. My first inclination was to march over there and explain some things to this guy: a) the boy on the ladder is NOT some kid, he is MY SON; (b) he can ask requests from my son but he has no authority to issue him commands, (c) he needs to start treating ALL people, including children, with the same respect he would like his own son to be treated, and (d) if he is unclear on any of the above I would be happy to explain it more clearly in the parking lot. He may be bigger than me, and he may end up on the top of the pile when it's all over, but he would know for sure he had messed with the wrong little boy.

Fortunately, I kept my mouth shut and the moment passed. I don't think Jack felt slighted or even thought a thing about it. But it has me thinking about how you treat other people's sons. You don't mess with them.

The Bible describes God the Creator of all as a Father. The Bible says that God has a Son. This Father loves His Son and is proud of Him, so much so that He has given all authority in heaven and on earth to His son. Pretty much it goes like this - if you are okay with the Son, the Father is good with you. But if you reject the son, you have put yourself on the wrong side of the Father. That's how I felt at the pool yesterday with my son. That is how God the Father feels about His son.

We better give the Son the love and respect He deserves. Look out kids, He is coming!