“I don’t know if I’ve ever told you guys this,” our youngest son, now a grown man went on to explain, “but one day after school my buddy and I were riding the four wheeler in the woods with no helmets, jumped a crude ramp we had built and flipped over. We were both knocked unconscious for I don’t know how long. When we finally came to we were totally confused because it had gotten dark, so it must have been for an hour or so…”
“Wait!, What?” Mom blurted out as she lunged forward, white knuckles gouging permanent marks in the upholstery. Now, 25 years after the fact, Ryan felt safe to speak the truth. With a wry grin he went on to describe how, unbeknownst to any of us parents, the neighborhood boys had built a ramp in the woods over which they’d launch their ATV’s high into the air, an activity they instinctively knew would never receive parental approval. In their youthful disregard for conventional wisdom, our sons, like all of us at one time or another, justified their actions based on the time-honored philosophy of ‘What they don’t know won’t hurt them’.
Jason, our oldest son enjoying the clean air of confession, chimed in, “Yea…that reminds me of the time Uncle Dave loaned me his new Corvette for the prom. Before I picked up my date, I had it up to over a 130 MPH on 668.”
Marilyn and I looked at one another in sheer horror. “Breathe…just breathe”, I repeated to myself. Our natural reaction, after regaining our composure, was to ask, “So what else haven’t you told us?” Then with our hands in the air, we both said, “No, never mind, we probably shouldn’t know.”
We’ve since agreed times of spontaneous confession can quickly go south if turned into an inquisition. The clear air of confession is best breathed by those who choose to confess. It surprised them to learn we were already aware of several of their ‘secret exploits’. Raising our sons, we often applied the ‘choose your battles carefully’ philosophy, agreeing some things just weren’t worth the fight.
I’m guessing most of you have experienced similar times of childhood confessions…often at a family gathering graced in the glow of nostalgia, providing a comfortable atmosphere for the revelation of secret sins.
There are exceptions, however. A friend of ours recently told how at age 14, with absolutely no experience behind the wheel of an automobile, she and her cousins drove the family Oldsmobile five miles to the Skyview Drive-In Theater, watched the movie and drove home in the dark with no headlights explaining, “No one in the car knew how to turn them on!” When I asked if she ever told her parents, she said, “Heck NO!”
Okay, so maybe not every teenager fesses up to their past sins, but I suspect many do. I know my brothers and I had several confessional meetings with our dear departed parents and I gotta admit, I truly miss not having that opportunity. I’ve discovered confession is not only good for the soul but its raises my appreciation for guardian angels and dumb luck.
As a bible teacher, I’m very conscious of how similar my relationship is with the Heavenly Father. Although he knows everything I do even before I do it, I believe he chooses to pick his battles. He patiently withholds his judgment for a future dinner we will share together with all believers. The Bible calls it the marriage supper of the Lamb—a grace soaked affair around a lavish table of forgiveness surrounded by all my brothers and sisters in Jesus Christ.
In the awe inspiring book of Revelation, John writes about this dinner of believers. “Then the angel said to me, write this: ‘Blessed are those invited to the Wedding Supper of the Lamb.’ He added, ‘These are the true words of God!’ I fell at his feet to worship him, but he wouldn’t let me. ‘Don’t do that,’ he said. ‘I’m a servant just like you, and like your brothers and sisters who hold to the witness of Jesus. Worship God! The witness of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.’”
I won’t be at all surprised if this promised family gathering might result in the same safe atmosphere our sons experience in our home. I place where it’s OK to let the truth come out, knowing there is no longer any need for condemnation or guilt but rather an atmosphere of grateful acceptance.
Read Ron’s column, Simple Faith, each Saturday on the Faith Page (page 3) of the Lancaster Eagle Gazette, or visit www.lancastereaglegazette.com.