My son is a deep thinker.  Of course I should probably know that by now, but most of my interactions with him involve a request/a denial/followed by a second request or defense of first request/followed by explanation of denial coupled with threat of punishment/followed by…you get the picture.

But last night I got out our Bibles and told him to sit down because we were going to start reading through the book of James.  We read the first chapter and it led to an amazing conversation about conviction, the Holy Spirit, gut feelings (aka the Holy Spirit most of the time), and politics – which was the most fun for me.  I couldn’t have been prouder with his conclusion after our discussion.  Following a conversation about government assistance programs and generations knowing only that and the fact that we are supposed to be taking care of widows and orphans and all – he looked at me with total understanding and said “Well, it sounds to me like if the Church would have been doing it’s job a long time ago that none of that would have ever been needed.”  Apparently being a Social Democrat is genetic.  I agreed with him of course and encouraged him to remember that, because he is now the future of the Church.  I do believe that his generation will have the power to change things – to get them back on track – but it will be a long and difficult process.  They will have to be strong and convicted and determined – all qualities that I know he possesses.  So after our conversation I have a renewed sense of hope, along with a renewed sense of responsibility to continue encouraging him to think about the world around him in relation to the God who loves him.  What a privilege.