Turn it On

What time was it when you put dinner in the oven, Dad?" asked Mark. "I'm hungry! It seems like we've been waiting a long time for that lasagna to be ready, but I don't even smell it yet."
"I don't either," said Dad. He glanced at his watch. "Mom said it would need to bake about an hour." Dad got up and went to the kitchen. "Oh, no!" he exclaimed. "I followed the directions Mom left-took the cover off and put the dish in the oven-but I forgot to turn the oven on! I guess she figured I'd know enough to do that. Looks like dinner will take quite a while yet."
"Da-a-ad! I'm starving!" complained Mark.
"I'm sorry," apologized Dad. "Let's have an apple to take care of some of the hunger pangs." They each chose a shiny red apple. "This mistake reminds me of Pastor Grey's message last Sunday," added Dad.
Mark grinned. "Oh-oh! Did he made a mistake, too?" he asked.
"No . . . no. But it reminds me of some things he said," Dad replied with a smile as he reached for the Bible on a nearby shelf. He turned to the book of James and asked Mark to read several verses from the end of the first chapter. "Remember what Pastor Grey told us?" Dad asked when Mark finished reading.
"Same thing this chapter says," answered Mark. "He said we often take in God's Word, but we don't apply it to our lives. But what's that got to do with the oven or our lasagna?"
"Well, in Sunday school and church-and in our own devotions-we're taught how we should live. But when we become too concerned with our own pleasures and plans, it's like we don't 'turn those lessons on' in our lives. The knowledge sits there-cold, like our lasagna," explained Dad. "Like God says, we need to be 'doers' of His word-let them fill us and apply them to daily life. Otherwise we're left . . ."
"Hungry," finished Mark with a frown, "like I am now!"
"Spiritually hungry," agreed Dad. With a twinkle in his eye, he added, "And unforgiving and unkind and accusing and . . ."
Mark grinned at his father. "Okay, Dad," he said, "you're forgiven, and I'll try to remember to 'turn on' the Bible lessons I've been taught."

Copycats

Kevin angrily slammed the kitchen door as he entered the room. Startled, Dad looked up from the table where he was reading the newspaper. "Tell Nate to quit copying me," said Kevin, crossing his arms over his chest. "He's always following me around, and he tries to do everything I do." As Dad put down the paper, Nate rushed into the kitchen. He marched over to his brother and promptly crossed his arms, too. "See what I mean?" complained Kevin as Nate stared up at him.
Dad motioned for Nate to come sit beside him. "Okay, Son," said Dad, "you need to leave your brother alone now." Then Dad looked at Kevin. "Nate copies you because he wants to be like you," said Dad. "Take it as a compliment."
Kevin frowned. "I don't like copycats," he grumbled.
"You don't? Well, the Bible verses I read this morning tell me we should all be copycats," said Dad. He reached over, picked up his Bible, and opened it. "Come here." Dad pulled out the chair on the other side of him. Kevin shuffled over to the table and sat down. "Here," said Dad. "Read Ephesians 5:1 out loud for us."
Kevin took the Bible and looked at the verse Dad indicated. "Therefore be imitators of God, as dear children," he read.
"What do imitators do?" Dad asked. Kevin shrugged. Nate shrugged, too. "They copy," said Dad. "We're to copy God." Dad smiled at the boys. "Nate cares for you, Kevin, and he shows it by wanting to do the same things you do. If we love God, we should show that by copying the way Jesus would behave in various situations and by developing attitudes and actions God wants to see in us."
Kevin scratched his head. Giggling, Nate did the same. Then Kevin gave his brother a quick playful punch on the shoulder. Nate punched back. He squealed as Kevin tackled him, and together they fell to the floor, laughing.
Dad laughed, too. "Enough, boys," he said. "And no more copying Kevin right now, Nate. Leave him alone for a while. Let's just all do our best to copy actions Jesus would take so that whatever we do will please Him."