Christian Living

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Larry Lilly's Letter Tuesday June 20, 2006

A friend of many years, Larry Neff, grew up in an orphanage. He is a bona fides orphan, a rarity these days in American orphanages. Larry now has built and is responsible for orphanages in Mississippi, Costa Rica, and India with a little over eight hundred children depending on him. He invited Jon and me to a conference in Costa Rica in February. I live in Indiana, so Costa Rica in February is most definitely of the Lord.

Larry told a story at a Father's Day cookout that really set me to thinking. The church my son pastors sponsored the cookout and Larry was the guest speaker.

"Years ago a pastor Larry knew had promised his 5 year old son that he would take the child to the circus when it came to town. As the months wore on the boy kept asking; 'Is today the day, dad?' The dad would respond, 'No, son, it is still a while until the circus comes to town.' The boy would then need reassurance that the circus would have elephants and lions and man eating tigers and clowns. The dad always gave the necessary affirmation that all of this was true. On the day the circus came to town, the son asked yet again, 'Dad is the circus coming today?' Dad said, 'Yes son today is the day and we will be there to see the parade and then tonight at 7:00 you will have a special seat!'

The family went to the parade and saw the vast array of exotic creatures, human and animal. After the parade they went home for supper, (country people) and while at supper the pastor's phone rang. The little boy's heart sank; the mother's brow was wrinkled in anticipation of what was coming when dad reentered the kitchen. In amazement she heard pastor say, 'I am truly sorry about what happened, but I cannot come until morning, I have a previous engagement.' He again insisted, 'I am sorry, but I cannot come until morning.'

As he stepped back into the kitchen and sat down to finish the meal, his wife said, 'You know honey, the circus will come to town again.' He looked at her tenderly and then at his 5 year old son and said, 'Sweetheart, I know the circus will come to town again, but childhood comes but one time and we are going to the circus tonight.'"

The son never forgot that his father honored his commitment to him. He still doesn't know what his father refused to do or what it cost him. He told this story while he was preaching to preachers. Many a man makes the serious mistake of thinking the children of congregants are somehow more important than his own. You can bet the family jewels this is not lost on his children.

"You can never spend enough time with children."
Dawyne Hickman
Larry Lilly Copyright © 2006 Use with credit.

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