Harry Chapin, Cat's in the Cradle

This song is about parental modeling. Like it or not, children copy their parents. Harry Chapin tells the story of a man whose boy grew up just like his absent father. Check it out here.

Though some children don't grow up to copy their parents, Proverbs 22:6 (Bible in Basic English) is generally true. "If a child is trained up in the right way, even when he is old he will not be turned away from it."

It seems to me also that it's easier to go astray than to stick to good examples which our parents teach us. Eli's two sons were one example, as 1 Samuel 2:12-14 (BBE) shows us. "Now the sons of Eli were evil and good-for-nothing men, having no knowledge of the Lord. And the priests' way with the people was this: when any man made an offering, the priest's servant came while the flesh was being cooked, having in his hand a meat-hook with three teeth; This he put into the pot, and everything which came up on the hook the priest took for himself. This they did in Shiloh to all the Israelites who came there."

If Ely had removed his wicked sons from being priests, 1 Samuel 4:10 and 11 (BBE) might never have happened. "So the Philistines went to the fight, and Israel was overcome, and every man went in flight to his tent: and great was the destruction, for thirty thousand footmen of Israel were put to the sword. And the ark of God was taken; and Hophni and Phinehas, the sons of Eli, were put to the sword." Ponder that!

David is another biblical example of poor parenting. With his many wives and his rape of Bathsheba, it's no wonder his family had so many troubles. It would take too long to list them all here.

Even Abram had difficulties when he tried to rush God's plan through getting Hagar pregnant. As Genesis 21:12 and 13 (BBE) shows, it caused him grief but God blessed Ishmael anyway. "But God said, 'Let it not be a grief to you because of the boy and Hagar his mother; give ear to whatever Sarah says to you, because it is from Isaac that your seed will take its name. And I will make a nation of the son of your servant-woman, because he is your seed.'"

So if our heavenly Father, whose example we must follow, hasn't sent Jesus by Saturday, I hope to post about angry people head-butting their way through life.

Saturday Song: Harry Chapin, "Thirty-Thousand Pounds of Bananas"

This song about a real event sounds comical but it was no laughing matter for a certain truck driver. He descended the hill going into Scranton, Pennsylvania when his brakes failed.

Ever the storyteller, Harry Chapin immortalized this hapless driver in a song. Listen to it here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OGldNpngDws

Death is the most-feared event for people, generally speaking. It ranks even higher than public speaking. In fact, most folks would rather not think about their impending demise.

Even so, death stalks us all. As James 4:13 and 14 (BBE) reminds us, "How foolish it is to say, Today or tomorrow we will go into this town, and be there for a year and do business there and get wealth: When you are not certain what will take place tomorrow. What is your life? It is a mist, which is seen for a little time and then is gone."

The reason we are all headed for death is because of Adam and Eve's disobedience of God's single prohibition for them. Genesis 2:16 and 17 (BBE) states, "And the Lord God gave the man orders, saying, 'You may freely take of the fruit of every tree of the garden: But of the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you may not take; for on the day when you take of it, death will certainly come to you.'"

From that terrible day of disobedience onward, we all dwindle and eventually die. Death is also the payment for the work of sin. As Paul noted in Romans 6:23 (KJV) "For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord."

A day will come when death will be no more. Revelation 21:3 and 4 (BBE) reminds us who have placed our faith in Christ, "And there came to my ears a great voice out of the high seat, saying, 'See, the Tent of God is with men, and he will make his living-place with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them, and be their God.' And he will put an end to all their weeping; and there will be no more death, or sorrow, or crying, or pain; for the first things have come to an end."

But those who resist God to their deaths will suffer a terrible fate. Revelation 20:14 (BBE) warns, "And death and Hell were put into the sea of fire. This is the second death, even the sea of fire."

On Monday, I hope to publish a post about why Christ is called the Lion of Judah.

Saturday Song: Harry Chapin, "Taxi"

Was this your first experience of Harry Chapin's wonderful songs? It was for me. I felt deeply moved by the story of two old friends meeting by chance one rainy night. The song taught me that life doesn't always work out the way we dreamt.

Hear Harry Chapin's "Taxi" here.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hs4j8YQwst8

When I first heard this song in the spring of 1972, I felt determined that I was going to be a television repair man. In spite of my poor vision, I felt convinced I could earn my living fixing electronics. And all the adults telling me I couldn't do such a job just made me more determined to prove them wrong.

After considerable arguing with the electronics class teacher, I enrolled and did well on the theory. The practical aspect was another matter. Though I tried hard to reconcile the schematic diagrams with the radios and other electronic gadgets, I failed miserably.

In December of 1974, the teacher gave me the bad news that I couldn't continue in his class. Televisions had extremely high voltages in them and he feared I'd get electrocuted.

Instead of fixing people's TVs, I'm a writer. I never drempt I'd be one either. And as for TV repair, nobody fixes electronics anymore.

Romans 11:33 (KJV) says, "O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out!" All I can say to that is "Amen!"

So, what are your memories of this song? Did you become what you'd hoped to be as an adult? Please leave me a comment in the box below. And if you don't feel like it, have a nice weekend anyway.

My next post will be about how some people mistreat folks who suffer tragedies. Hang in for that one.