Thought for the Day Monday 8 February

Thought for the Day Monday 8th February 2021.   Start children off on the way they should go, and even when they are old they will not turn from it. (Proverbs 22:6)   This began in a small village in Scotland. You know the type, one shop, one school, one church and, of course, two pubs. Here lived a family, not natives of the village, the parents had moved there to ‘hide’ from  their families. Dad Protestant and mum Catholic but neither interested in ‘churchy things’. There were 6 children but by the time I was told the story they were all adults. Mum and dad spent most of their time in one or other of the pubs and the children were kind of left to themselves. Not neglected physically but not much care shown. There was also an elderly man who looked after the manse garden and took enormous pride in it. So much so that the children took great delight in rampaging through it, but instead of getting angry, the man started to ask them for help. The two eldest became different children, the younger ones just drifted off. Eventually the man gave each of the two a wee patch to look after for themselves, the younger ones were not allowed to spoil things now. They learned how to take care of their ‘creation’ and they changed over the years, to become more aware of the needs of others. They were able to pass some of that on to the others although one of them was in prison when I last heard about them. One became a gardener and the other a teacher. God is a patient teacher, so was the elderly man, he taught them to care for their little gardens. He explained how God cares for His creation, just like the children were learning to care for their garden. As they got older they took care of their siblings, and their parents, as well as they could. Just by listening to the gardener as he spoke about the Love of God and His son Jesus, while he was teaching them about their garden. Prayer We are thankful for the children you have placed among us. Please help us to teach them about you and your son, Jesus. Not only by telling them stories but by living as an example for them to follow. Help us to show the same consideration for others that this gardener showed to these young people. Amen.