Words Left Unsaid
Theme of the Week: Two, Four, Six, Eight; Who Do We Appreciate?
Thursday, January 8, 2009
 1 of 1
Key Bible Verse: How we thank God for you! Because of you we have great joy in the presence of God (1 Thessalonians 3:9). Bonus Reading: 1 Thessalonians 2:19-20
As a youngster, I ached to hear my dad tell me, "Lee, I'm proud of you. You're really special to me." I hungered to hear him say, "Son, I really like who you are."
Not hearing any of that from him created a wound in me that I eventually tried to heal through workaholism, striving to earn from him the respect I so needed.
My dad died while I was away at law school. I flew back for the wake. As I sat by myself, a steady stream of my dad's friends, none of whom I knew, stopped by to greet me. "Are you Wally's son? Oh, he was so proud of you. He used to brag about you all the time. When you went off to Yale Law School, he was just thrilled. When you'd have a byline in the Tribune, he was always showing it to everybody. He couldn't stop talking about you! You were such an important part of his life."
I sat there stunned. I had no idea my dad felt that way. He hadn't told me. I had to wait until he was dead to find out. What would it have done to our relationship if he'd told me himself while we still had time together?
The lesson is this: never assume that your friend, wife, or child knows how you feel about them. Tell them!
—Lee Strobel in God's Outrageous Claims
My Response: I realize I need to let ____ hear me say, "I'm proud of you."
Thought to Apply:I don't care how great, how famous or successful a man or woman may be, each hungers for applause. —George M. Adams (columnist)
Adapted from God's Outrageous Claims (Zondervan, 1997, 2005) by permission.
Copyright © 2009 by the author or Christianity Today International/Men of Integrity magazine.
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Teach me, Lord, how to mirror you by becoming a positive force in the lives of my family and acquaintances.
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