I need help. My riding mower is not working properly. It isn’t cutting the grass evenly, and far too often it scalps a portion of our lawns. “Lawns” is plural because I provide the equipment and gas, but Jon does the cutting.
So I should have said, “We need help.” Neither Jon nor I have a clue concerning what’s wrong with the mower or how to fix it.
Now keeping our lawns cut and looking good is our responsibility. But the truth is, we need help. We need to find someone with the expertise to look at our mower and determine what’s wrong so we can get it fixed.
Obviously, we’re looking for someone we can trust. It would be easy for someone to take advantage of us because we’d find it hard to argue with a repairman who handed us a long list of expensive things that needed fixing.
The appearance of our yards is our responsibility. But we need help.
Linda and I have raised six children. We were always grateful for the leadership and faculty of Chattanooga Christian School. Knowing that what we were teaching our children at home was being reinforced by what they were taught at school was wonderfully reassuring.
And throughout the many years of having teenagers, we were thankful for the efforts of Ken Henry, Jeff Godwin and all who served as small group leaders. They ministered to, counseled with, and prayed for our children.
We never thought for one moment that it was the responsibility of these individuals to raise our children. That was our responsibility. But we were grateful to have their help, assistance and encouragement.
And now, Chris and Reba have stepped onto the stage. They’ve been with us for about a year. And I am deeply appreciative and genuinely grateful for the wonderful work they are doing.
They’ve endeared themselves to many of you. And most important, in light of their particular responsibilities, they have won the hearts and enthusiastic support of many of our middle school and high school youth.
They would be the first to assure you that they have no desire or intention of taking the place of parents in the lives of the young people to whom they minister. What they desire is to assist parents with the peculiar challenge of the teenage years.
Having raised six children, the youngest of which is now 26, Linda and I are grateful for the evidence of God’s grace upon their lives. Looking back, we realize there were many things we could have done better, and many things we didn’t get right.
But it was good to know there were others to which we could turn, and our children could turn, for godly advice. And it’s good for me to be able to say to you: Chris and Reba have been, are and will continue to be a good and godly influence upon your young people.
Our lawns are taking a beating. They’re our responsibility. But we need help. There’s nothing wrong with needing help. And it’s good when you find someone who can provide for you just the help you need.
And how good it is to have a man and woman like Chris and Reba ministering to our young people.
Pastor Caines