Can you remember full-service gas stations? I
can remember watching a full-service attendant
service our family car. First things first, he
started
filling the gas tank. Then he would give his
attention
to popping the hood to check the fluid levels.
He would offer to change wiper blades or add a
little air to the tires. All the while, you were
snug in
the warm car. Those were great days.
I wonder if the family couldn’t use a little more
full-service attention! For the month of May, we’re
going to be doing a little full-service on our
families
with a series we’ve titled, “Family DNA—Building
a Healthy Core.”
Every family has its own unique DNA. Some
have no kids, some have many kids. Some are
blended, some are single parent, and some are
married couples. Navigating the waters of family
life can be difficult and discouraging. What did
God have to say about healthy families?
As I have now moved into the grandfather
stage of life and have raised four children to
adulthood, it has become most clear to me that the
family would benefit greatly by a little more full
service attention.
Some experts have talked about keeping a
family’s love tank on full. If love is the fuel that
makes families function best, then everyone
deserves a full tank. Whose job is it to refuel
members? For many homes, it’s just mom. She is often
the sole attendant.
What would be healthier is for every family member
to take a more active role in making sure
the family’s love tanks stay full.
The Bible suggests it is the responsibility of each
and every member of the family to fill the others’
tanks. Every member is a customer, and every
member is an attendant.
Everyone is lining up at the pumps, honking their
horns, and demanding attention. The challenge is
to get every member in attendant’s uniforms.
A friend of mine used to tell his son, “If you lined
up all the little boys in the whole world, I’d
search
and search until I found you, and I’d pick you to be
my son.” You’ve got to believe that would fill a
love tank.
