You're So Vain

When my oldest was twelve, he was nominated by a teacher to be a "student ambassador". It sounded like something we should be interested in. So we went to the first meeting. It turned out they wanted him to be a student ambassador to Australia and New Zealand! And it would only cost four to five thousand dollars!

Because of some family members who were extremely generous, he actually got to go.

 I was only a little jealous.

We did some research into the organization that was running this little excursion. They were more than credible and they had a great safety record. I was sure my son was in excellent hands. If he did everything right he could even earn extra credit in high school and it could help him get into college, as well.

We got his passport. We bought suitcases and new clothes. We drilled him on the rules and the consequences if he chose to break them. We talked about the importance of understanding other cultures so we can interact with them without being offensive or being offended. I did everything I knew to prepare him.

Before I knew it he was on the plane and gone.

Across the ocean.

For three very long weeks.

It was tough.

The day finally came for him to return. We all went to the airport to welcome him home. He was red-eyed and tired. He was happy to see everyone but, he didnt' want to talk. He didn't want to go out to eat. He just wanted to go home and sleep. I wasn't concerned. I figured he'd talk when he was ready.

A couple of days later he finally opened up to me. He was a little miffed at me. It turns out that Australia's advertising laws are a bit more liberal than America's. There are giant naked people on billboards all over Sydney! He told me he wasn't ready to see naked people and he definitely was not prepared for giant naked people.

But that wasn't his biggest issue with me. He could easily forgive my ignorance of Australia's advertising laws. What he was having much more trouble with was his experience with the Maori tribe.

The Maoris where a fierce warrior tribe from New Zealand. They had a reputation of eating the people they defeated in battle. Apparently, they are Christians now. And they wanted to pray with everyone who visited their village. They figured that the easiest way to include everyone was to pray the Lord's Prayer. A.K.A. the Our Father.

My son was the only one who didn't know it.

He was offended.

With me.

"Dad, I thought we were Christians?"

"We are, son."

"Then why was I the only Christian there who didn't know the Lord's Prayer?"

"I never thought it was important."

We ended the conversation without resolving the issue.

I went back to the Bible and prayer.

My son had experienced the unifying power of this simple prayer from Jesus' lips. (It can be found in Matthew chapter six) But, he experienced it from the outside. As one who is not in unity.

He was separate.

He was alone.

On the other side of the world.

And it was my fault.

I had been so set against "wrote" prayers because I didn't want my kids' prayers to become routine. I want my kids to have a vibrant relationship with the God. I failed to realize the power of routine to create stability, unity and safety in relationship. These are all part of a vibrant relationship.

 I don't know anyone who has a completely improvisational relationship with anyone.

Why would I try to force this on my kids? It is a completely unreasonable standard.

Somehow, I thought I was smarter than Jesus. Jesus said to pray this prayer. It is something simple that Catholics, Coptics, Orthodox, Evangelicals, Pentecostals and non-denominationals can all agree on.

And so can our little family.

So now I teach my kids the Lord's Prayer (as well as other set prayers from the Bible and other sources). And I pray it with them.

And I admit that Jesus is smarter than me.

And He knows how to unify His church - and my family.

That's my view from here.