Ron continues his love series from I Corinthians 13 with a post entitled, “Love Always Trusts.” This time, a parent has to choose whether he will forgive and trust his daughter. In this series, Ron breaks down I Corinthians 13:4-7 into easily segments by using a selection of “love” themed short stories.
Ron Hughes is the president of FBH International and has decades of experience in Christian mass communications. Recently Ron has overseen the launching of HopeStreamRadio, a Christian internet radio ministry. One of Ron’s passions is writing and he shares this passion with others on his program, “Author Interview.“
A Daughter Quits
“Dad,” said Abi, her voice controlled, “I know I’ve disappointed you again, but I want you to believe me. I’ve quit the band. I told them last night that I was done.”
Ralph gazed at his miserable daughter, who seemed helpless to avoid the situations that brought them to conversations like this one. It was true. She had disappointed him several times. Her involvement with the band had been mostly destructive. It had distracted her from school. It had familiarized her with excesses of alcohol. It had introduced her to a culture which held both appeal and hazzards.
“I’m listening, Abi. I know it’s hard for you to talk. Take your time.”
Forgiveness Requested
Tears slipped down Abi’s face and she wiped them away with her fists. A minute passed before she could talk.”
“Dad, I’m so sorry. I know this band isn’t a good thing for me. Here I am, taking another run at finishing high school, because I gave everything to the music. I hope you can forgive me. I hope that you believe me when I tell you how sorry I am for what I’ve put you and Mom through.” She paused as sobbing overtook her.
“I can’t imagine how difficult it was for you to have to pick me up from the police station after I got caught drinking with the kids. I told you that night that I’d straighten up… and I didn’t. But, Dad, I mean it this time. I want you to believe me. I want you to forgive me.”
Compassion overwhelmed Ralph and he wanted to take this miserable little creature into his arms, but somehow the time didn’t seem quite right.
“Abi, your mom and I love you. I wish you could believe that. Of course we’re disappointed that you’ve already had a scrape with the law… and it makes us sad that you didn’t graduate with the friends you’ve had since kindergarten… but we love you… and if you are telling me now that you’re going to get your life together, then I believe you. I believe you and I offer anything I can do to help you. But I am curious about what triggered this. What’s behind this conversation?”
A Car Crash
Abi’s shoulders shook and she pressed her palms into her eye sockets, trying to physically hold back the tears as her nose ran and sobs broke intermittently from her lips. Ralph handed her a tissue. “Take your time, Abi. I’m not in a hurry.”
A couple of minutes passed before Abi could speak again. “You heard about the accident last week. Two kids crashed a car?”
Ralph thought for a moment. “I did hear something about it on the radio. Didn’t pay much attention to it, to tell the truth.”
“They were friends from school. They were good kids. They graduated last year when I should have. They came to hear us play at the club. It was their first time and they drank too much. Connor got a head injury and the doctors told his parents he might never be the same.”
Love Always Trusts
Ralph’s voice was soft when he responded. “I’m so sorry about your friend Abi. That’s terrible. We’ll have to pray for him.”
“Would you, Dad?” Abi asked. “That would mean so much to me. I feel personally responsible because they came to hear us that night. If we hadn’t been playing, they wouldn’t have come, and they wouldn’t have got drunk, and they wouldn’t have smashed the car, and Connor would be okay.”
Ralph didn’t respond to her logic. Instead, he said, “Abi, I’m glad you’re putting the band behind you.”
“So you believe me… You believe that I’m really going to get my life together. I know I’ve been a little jerk. You trusted me before and and I let you down. How can you believe me now?”
It was time. Ralph moved to sit beside his daughter on the couch. He put his arms out and she fell into them. “I’m not denying that what you’ve done in the past has been hurtful but, Abi, I love you… and love thinks the best of people. Love believes them. It trusts them. So I’m not thinking about what happened in the past. I trust you… and I believe you have a good future… and I believe that things will be different.”
Ron Hughes
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Faith By Hearing: Misconceptions
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Images Courtesy of:
Father & Daughter – Hector Landaeta
Police – Clyde Steven
Car Crash – Lydia Borysewicz
Love Always Trusts– Keramark Solutions
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