The Healthy Christian Life

ILLUSTRATION

A father is reading his newspaper when his small son jumps up into his lap and tugs at the bottom of the paper, wanting his father’s attention. The father feels a surge of anger within. Why? He at first perceives that his right to read the paper without being disturbed is being violated. On second thought (if he is a good father), he realizes that this is not a valid right in light of the circumstances. It originates in a selfish motivation. Of course his son is more important than reading the paper, so he yields his per¬ceived right to God, and the feeling of anger dissipates. (‘The Healthy Christian Life’ Frank Minirth, Paul Meier, Richard Meier & Don Hawkins, BAKER BOOK HOUSE)