Think a minute…A man named Cliff Streigling told about an older man, Bud Abbot, who changed his life. This is Cliff’s story and testimony.
“When we met in 1972, Bud was 52 and I was 18. Bud was a Navy veteran of WWII who piloted landing craft on dangerous missions in the South Pacific. I was a long-haired kid with no direction or discipline in my life. We met in a woodworking shop where Bud was a master carpenter and I was a know-nothing amateur.
During the 18 months I worked for him, Bud took me from a teenager rebelling against all authority to a young man willing to accept personal responsibility for my actions and decisions. He instilled in me a work ethic and love for learning that remains with me to this day.
Bud influenced such a complete change in me because he practiced what he preached. He was always 30 minutes early for work. He never overstayed a coffee or lunch break by even one minute. He never put his tools away before his work day was over. And he always forgave and accepted my mistakes, as long as I admitted them.
Bud taught by example that always doing your best is what’s important, whether you’re paid and praised for it or not. He told me again and again that I needed to learn a trade or get a formal education, and he recommended education. I followed Bud’s advice for living because his daily example convinced me to believe and trust him.
I left his shop to study at a university. Every year I returned to tell him I had completed another year. In fact, many times the thought of disappointing him kept me studying when I was tired or discouraged. I earned my university degree, but no professor ever gave me lessons as valuable as those I learned from Bud.”
Dad and Mom, never forget: “Our children usually live like us in spite of everything we tell them.”So, ask yourself: Is my character worth copying? “Young people are looking for good examples, not good speeches.” The most valuable gift you can give to your children is being the daily model they can follow the rest of their life.
Won’t you ask your Heavenly Father to forgive you for not being the example your children need? Jesus wants to give you His love and power to start changing and becoming the good example of character your children can copy. Just think a minute…