by Jim Mitchell

Recently I was sitting with my 6-year-old son looking at his baseball cards… or more accurately, I was looking at him while he looked at his baseball cards… and I experienced a pride I’ve not felt before.

Surely I’ve been a proud dad since the birth of both my kids.  But this was different.   As I looked down and listened to my son carefully examining each card, I noticed myself taking pride in watching him ask questions and learn about the teams and the players.

Being a baseball history fan myself, normally I would have dived into the stats with him, comparing the great players with the not-so-great ones, talking about the history of each team.

But as my son grows older, I’ve grown more mature with him.  This time I caught myself much more interested in the boy than the stats.  I know it sounds simple, but I can’t describe the joy I took in this discovery about myself.  I’ve seen my own dad do this with me.  I remember time and again telling my dad lengthy details about projects I’ve been working on, only to look up and notice a cheesy grin on his face.   He hadn’t heard a word I’d said, but just stood there taking pride in his boy.

I also can’t help but think about the pride God must take in us His children.  My mind travels to Ephesians 2:10: “For we are his workmanship, having been created in Christ Jesus for good works that God prepared beforehand so we may do them.” (NET)

I am God’s workmanship—His masterpiece!  Yet I too am created for good works.  As I work, He works in me.  And as I take pride in my good works, He takes pride in me.

This is the pride of a father.

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Taking it One-to-One:

• What discoveries have you made about yourself lately as a parent?
• What new things are you seeing in your kids that give you pride?
• Do you believe that God takes pride in working on you as His masterpiece, and in your good works?
• What are you currently working on for God’s kingdom that He would take pride in?