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Thursday, February 17, 2005
I am Washington Moody Childress' grandson. I was 8 years old when he died.
He was an excellent grandfather, too. He was always playing sports with me outside or board games or taking me with him on some business trips when I was smaller. He always involved me in whatever he was doing, like he purchased me a toy lawnmower that blew bubbles so I could be in the yard with him while he mowed.
He took me on long walks to a place he called Big Rock. It was behind his house about half a mile. I remember him holding on to my pants while I leaned off the rock to look in the creek about 10 feet below it.
He was a very typical grandfather. He snuck me ice cream before bed time. He let me stay up late to watch the end of the game. He read to me a lot. He took me and all my cousins into the ocean when we vactationed at the Gulf of Mexico. He laughed a lot. I could go into his office whenever I wanted.
It was only later that I came to realize exactly who my own grandfather was.
Turns out, he was a vice-president in charge of personnel for one of the largest corporations in America at that time. He was a shrewd investor of money, and was not only wealthy but also what people call "well-connected." He was always getting special deals on stuff because of who he was. It was years before I realized that he was powerful and well-connected. It came up in two instances.
I was having some problems with insurance after a surgery and went to the insurance department of that same larg corporation he worked for. I was getting the runaround by the receptionists and secretaries and I couldn't even get my claim looked at, much less dealt with. I didn't know what else to do so I called my mom. She said to tell the receptionist to tell her boss that Washington Moody Childress' grandson wanted to see him. I did...and she did. Not only did the right guy come right out, the problem was solved and settled in five minutes.
Later, I was having dinner in a restaurant he frequented that was very pricey and exclusive (my grandmother got me the reservations) with some friends from high school. When I asked the waiter for the check, he said he'd be right back. The owner of the restaurant came out and told me it was an "honor" for him to have one of Moody Childress' grandsons in his restaurant, and that no grandson of his would pay a dime in that place.
Keep in mind that both of these events happened 8 years after he died. 8 YEARS!
I had gotten a little bit of enlightenment on who this man was.
And that's what Paul prays for the Christians in Ephesus in 18-19a of chapter 3 of Ephesians: "I pray that the eyes of your heart will be enlightened, so that you may know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, and what is the surpassing greatness of His power toward us who believe."
Note what Paul prayed for:
He wanted the "eyes of our heart" to be enlightened. In other words, he wanted each one of us, deep down in the very core of who we are, to gain a true understanding of three things.
First, that we would know the HOPE of His calling. People ask me all the time why I would want to spend all day every day working with teenagers. I always respond with a question, "Why would you assume that I have a choice?" I mean, God built me a certain way, with certain passions, with certain gifts...that lead me to know that I'm called to do this. This leads to hope...that our time isn't wasted.
Second, that we would know the riches of our inheritance in the Saints. When we became saved, we became, literally, co-heirs with Christ. Then you have to ask, "What is Christ going to inherit?" Everything. And, if we're co-heirs with Christ, then we'll inherit everything. So, all of a sudden, whatever problems we face here on earth, pale in comparison to the abundant life we'll all obtain through His work. The things of earth do grow strangely dim in the light of His honor and grace (sometimes the old hymns hit the nail on the head).
Third, the we would know what is the surpassing greatness of His power. The Greek word for "power" is dunamis (the word we get dynamite from)...it's an explosive power, and a "life-force." He wants us to know that this power is beyond all we can dream up...and we can live our lives that way!
Wow.
So, my grandad had a few of these qualities. I mean, he taught me what it was like to be a Childress and the values he believed in. He had a little inheritance money for us and he had a little bit of influence in our community.
But it was nothing compared to the hope of His calling...
and the riches of His glory...
and the explosive power to live life...
And the obvious application for today is to ask yourself if you are experiencing on a consistent basis the hope of His calling YOU, the riches for YOU and the explosive power He wants YOU to have?
If yes, then I'd bet a time of prayer thanking God for his gracious and generosity to you.
If no, then what are you going to do to change things?
Brent 3:45 AM
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