Weighing the Children

Source: "Dressed for Action" by Dr. Ken Klaus, Lutheran Hour Ministries, June 21, 2009
Keywords: priority, first things, fundamental, treasure, important

Glen Adsit was a missionary to China. Accompanied by his family, Glen tried to share the Savior's story of salvation as quietly and secretly as was possible. Apparently he was not quiet or secretive enough. Glen was caught and he, along with his family, were placed under house arrest. After some time, soldiers came to the house and told him he was being deported home to America. The soldiers also informed them they would be allowed to take 200 lbs of stuff with him. 200 lbs of their own choosing.

But how do you pick 200 lbs of stuff? How to decide what would be left behind. Eventually, and not to everyone's satisfaction, they managed to reduce the pile of stuff to 200 lbs. 200 lbs to the ounce. Glen and his family, with their 200 lbs of stuff were ready when the soldiers arrived. "Have you weighed everything", an officer wanted to know. "Yes." "Did you weigh the children?" Weigh the children? Of course they hadn't weighed the children! For Glen and his wife, the children had been a given, the children had been taken for granted. In a split second the officer's question realigned everything. The new typewriter, the valuable vase, the precious picture, instantly became trash and were set aside. Bringing the children with them, making sure the children were safe, became the parent's single priority, their chief concern.