The Father's Love
Rodney was there for the entire time. He remained at home to learn the trade of his father. Eventually the day came when Rodney's father became weak enough that he couldn't keep working. So Rodney took over the business and made sure that his father was well cared for in his old age.
Rodney loved his father deeply. As Rodney grew and became an adult, his father would teach him all of the tricks of the trade. Along with the trade, Rodney's father would also teach Rodney the tricks of life. Rodney's father was a wise, gentle and kind man, yet fierce with passion when it came to standing up for the weak and compromised. One did not wish to cross Rodney's father with selfishness or deceptive actions.
It wasn't as if Rodney's father was without fault either. His father has made mistakes of his own. His father had been selfish and deceptive also at times. This is where Rodney's father developed his fierce passion to stand against selfishness and lies. Rodney's father had seen and been part of the hurt that comes to so many people in the face of selfish actions and lies.
So Rodney grew to be a man of honor and dignity in the face of his father. Rodney recognized strong character of person when he saw it in another. Rodney was there for the entire time.
Rodney's brother Josh had left home when he completed high school. Josh followed in the ways of his father too and grew with strong moral character. Josh studied his father's trade with a group of people that studied for a lifetime. Josh studied a different kind of trade of his father's. Josh studied his father's trade of honesty and selfless acts. Josh grew into a man that gave of himself completely and stood up for the poor, ill and hurting of society. Josh was a man of action and compassion.
The day that Josh returned to town, the people couldn't believe what a change had taken place. The people were sure that Josh would return with hands of skill at the trade of his father. Yet Josh had returned with the hands of skill at the trade of his father in a far different manner than that of Rodney.
Josh followed first the skill of the love of compassion for other's of his father. Sure, Josh had the hands of the skill of the trade of his father but the order was somehow different. Rodney, by contrast developed the working hands of the trade and then the compassion of love that his father had taught.
The people understood Rodney but rejected Josh. Both men were spitting images in all ways of their father. Both men were honorable men in the image of their father. But, Rodney was accepted and Josh rejected by the townsfolk.
Rodney was there for the entire time. As Josh left town, rejected by the people, Rodney stood up and followed his brother. Both men loved the Father. Both men stood up strong in the faith of the Father. And Rodney stood strong in faith and followed Josh to the ends of the earth and beyond. All in the teaching and faith of the Father. The Father that their father had taught them to live and trust and place all of their hope and faith and life in.
Prayer
Lord, as I hear your Word, as I read your Word, as I live your Word and take it all in; teach me how to stand up in love and compassion in unselfish ways to follow you in a strong, fierce faith... today... tomorrow... and forever. --- Amen
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