Train Up a Child A Mower Verses a Pool Table

 

Train Up a Child

A Mower Verses a Pool Table

 

 

The Bible says train up a child in the way they should go

And when they grow old they will not depart from it

As parents, it is so hard not to show our love

By giving our children the things they ask for

As parents, we love Christmas and birthdays

So we can give gifts to show our children we love them

Then those gifts end up in the garage sale next year

If we really love our children

 We will give them the lessons that will last them a life time

A man as a boy was very willing to spend his dad’s money on a pool table

But when it came time that the boy earned enough money

He would not spend his money on a pool table

Because he could use his friend’s down the street

Dad, Mom how do you show love?

Are you buying pool tables your kids don’t need?

Or, are you buying a lawnmower that will teach them how to succeed in life?

 

 

A Mower Verses a Pool Table

 

I got the privilege to sit next to a man on a flight

who had a great story when he was eight years old.

 

This man was in his 50s now,

and had been retired for seven years.

 

He showed me pictures of his home in Florida,

over 4000 sq ft on 4 acres of land

with a large swimming pool.

 

He also showed me a video tour of the house

he had just bought in Ohio

and it had to be worth around one million dollars.

 

The man was very knowledgeable about finances.

 

He was able to retire at a young age

and have all these wonderful things…

 

 Because he was able to sell a business

he had started.

 

This man told me his father was a hard man

and you could see he had some struggles with his dad.

 

At age eight, his dad asked him

what would he want as a gift.

 

The boy thought this was very strange

and afraid to ask, but after a couple of days

 he told his dad he wanted a pool table in the basement.

 

Some time passed and one day his father called him

and said come out to the garage I have your gift.

 

The boy could not believe it.

 

 He thought maybe my dad

had a soft spot in his heart.

 

They got to the garage door

with anticipation of playing pool with his friends.

 

 The large garage door opened…

 

There was no pool table.

 

 The boy thought dad has played

with me and became upset.

 

Then the father pointed to a new lawnmower

in the middle of the floor

and said there is your pool table.

 

The dad said take the mower and find some yards to mow

and soon you will have enough money to buy your pool table.

 

The boy was not happy, but went out

and found someone who would pay him

for mowing their grass.

 

He soon found out his friends were making $4 an hour

and he was making about $20 an hour mowing grass.

 

He also had a flexible schedule
and could schedule grass mowing

around sports and other activities.

 

After some time…

 

 The father asked how much money had he made?

 

The boy said over $900.

 

The father said I think that is enough

to buy the pool table you want.

 

The boy said I don’t want a pool table any more…

 

I can go down to my friend’s house

anytime I want and play pool.

 

The boy also said I want to save for a car

and he did.

 

The father seemed very hard on his son

not giving him gifts

like he saw his friends had.

 

It seemed that when this boy got something nice

one of the other dads in the neighborhood

bought their kid one better.

 

This 8-year-old boy is now a man,

 a very successful man.

 

Who has learned how to work for the things

he needs and wants in life.

 

When this man found the love of his life,

they both agreed they did not want any kids.

 

But after about ten years of marriage

his wife came to him and said…

 

 I want to have children.

 

He deeply loves his wife

and said I though you told me before marriage

you do not want children

and you know I do not want children.

 

Well, what his wife wants,

 his wife gets.

 

They now have two beautiful girls ages 10 and 11.

 

He told me he struggles with parenting

even though the girls seem to be model kids.

 

He told me if I had a boy,

I would have no problem teaching my son

how to make a living in life.

 

I got more than enough money

to give my kids whatever they ask for.

 

With a son…

 

 I could withhold giving my son what he asked for

and show him how to earn it.

 

But my girls melt my heart

and I am so afraid my love gives them the gift

instead of the lesson they will need in life.

 

The Bible says train up a child in the way they should go

and when they grow old they will not depart from it.

 

As parents, it is so hard not to show our love

by giving our children the things, they ask for.

 

As parents, we love Christmas and birthdays

so we can give gifts to show our children we love them.

 

Those gifts will end up in the garage sale next year.

 

If we really love our children…

 

 We will give them the lessons

that will last them a life time.

 

This man as a boy was very willing
to spend his dad’s money on a pool table…

 

 But when it came time that he had the money

he would not spend his money on a pool table…

 

 Because he did not need one better

then his friend’s down the street.

 

Dad, Mom how do you show love?

 

Are you buying pool tables your kids don’t need?

 

Or, are you buying a lawnmower

that will teach them how to succeed in life?

 

 

 

Scripture Reading

 

Proverbs 22:6-7  NIV

 

6 Train a child in the way he should go,

and when he is old he will not turn from it.

 

7 The rich rule over the poor,

and the borrower is servant to the lender.