There’s nothing that makes a father prouder than a son (or daughter) who lives up to more than expectations. I speak of the man who lived up to the many expectations the Old Testament had of the Messiah, including a terrible death (see Isaiah’s “servant” passages). Yes, that Son lived up to more than that; God saw fit to raise him from such a death in justice.
I, too, have a son who not only lived up to more than his ambitions. He saw how his father scrimped on his teacher’s salary and decided to become a banker. As Willie Sutton (the bank robber) said, “That’s where the money is.” But that was not enough for him. He booked a trip to Thailand, where an expatriate held a conference, and learned the art of internet marketing. He’s more than independent now; we’re looking for a place to name Von Burg Plaza.
Civilization 