I heard a funny story recently. A fellow was raised in the back hills of West Virginia – I mean, so far out in the sticks, never in his life had he even seen a big city to say nothing of modern inventions and neon lights. He married a gal just like himself and they spent all their married years in the backwoods. They had one son, whom they creatively called Junior.
Around the time Junior reached his sixteenth birthday, his dad decided the three of them would take a trip to the big city which they had never seen.
As they approached the outskirts of the metropolis, Papa began to get a little jumpy: “Mama, when we pull up at th’ hotel, you stay in th’ truck while Junior an’ I go in an’ look around. We’ll come back and git ya, okay?” She agreed.
Flashing neon lights and uniformed doormen greeted them as they pulled up at the luxurious hotel. Papa and Junior left mama in the pickup and they couldn’t believe their eyes! When they stepped on a mat – the doors opened automatically. Inside – they stood like statues – staring at the chandelier, then the enormous waterfall inside the lobby. While both stood silent, watching one breathtaking sight after another, they kept hearing a clicking sound behind them.
Finally, Papa turned around and saw this amazing little room with doors that slid open from the center. People would walk up – push a button and wait. Lights would flicker above the doors and then, “click,” the doors would slide open from the middle. Some people would walk out of the little room and others would walk inside and turn around as, “click,” the doors slid shut. By now, Papa and Junior stood totally transfixed.
At that moment a wrinkled old lady shuffled up to the doors all by herself. She pushed the button and waited. “Click,” the doors opened and she hobbled into the little room. No one else stepped in with her, so “click,” the doors slid shut.
Not more than twenty seconds later the door opened again – and there stood this fabulously attractive blonde, a young woman in her twenties – high heels, shapely body, beautiful face – a real knockout! As she stepped out, smiled, and turned to walk away, Papa grabbed Junior and said, “Did you see that? Quick, Junior go git Mama!”
Seems like everybody these days is looking for a room like what Papa thought he had found. Just push the right button, wait momentarily for the door of opportunity to slide open, then “click,” magic! In only a matter of seconds we are instantly transformed.
Who are we kidding? That makes a pretty good joke, but when it comes to reality, nothing could be further from the truth. This is especially true when it comes to the cultivation of your family in building all the key ingredients that makes a home strong. Things like moral character, honesty, love for family and others, clean living, respecting the feelings of people that we meet in life, giving of oneself to help another and doing the best we can in every area of life.
So, as you stand at the elevator of life and you hear the sliding doors “click” open for you to get on, and once you step in and the doors close – you will begin your ride to the top. But you will make a stop at each floor presenting you with an opportunity to get off before you reach the top floor.
Trials and temptations will attempt to lure you from reaching your ultimate destination – but don’t get off until you have gone as far as you can go. Once at the top – you can look back and say – “I’m glad that I stayed by the stuff that lifts me and my family above the level of mediocrity.”
Old friend Robert said, “Very few make it to the top. But those who do, rise above their problems and circumstances to see the greatest view that life has to offer. “Going up, anyone?”
