Henry G. Bosch

Walk This Way

Henry G. Bosch reflected on a childhood memory of his father:

As a schoolboy, I worked with my father during the summer months. Each
morning we stopped to pick up the early edition of the newspaper at a small
grocery store.

One morning when we got to work, my father found that by mistake he had
taken two newspapers instead of one. He first thought of paying the man the
extra price the next morning, but then after a moment's consideration he
said, "I had better go back with this paper. I don't want the man at the
store to think I'm dishonest." He got in his car, drove back to the store,
and returned the paper.

About a week later, someone stole money from the grocery store. When police
pinpointed the time it occurred, the grocer remembered only two people being
in the store at the time - and one was my father. The grocer immediately
dismissed my father as a suspect, saying, "That man is really honest. He
came all the way back here just to return a newspaper he took by mistake."
The police then focused their investigation on the other man, who soon made
a full confession. My father's honesty made a big impression on that
non-Christian storeowner, and on me. *

"I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the
truth" (3 John 4 NIV). The inspired writer was speaking of his children "in
the faith" - those whom he had taught the Word of God. It brought him great
joy to hear that those he had taught were continuing to live by the truths
that he had taught them. This verse also reveals the greatest joy of all
Christian parents.

It is reported that Abraham Lincoln said, "For a man to train up a child in
the way he/she should go, he must walk that way himself."

The Truth is: we have all made serious mistakes. "For all have sinned and
fall short of the glory of God" (Romans 3:23 NKJV).

The Truth is: God loves us so much that He wants to save us from our sins.
He gave His Son Jesus to die on the cross to pay the price for our
redemption. "But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we
were still sinners, Christ died for us (Romans 5:8 NKJV).

The Truth is: We must humble ourselves and submit our lives to Jesus in
order to receive His gifts of salvation and eternal life. God will save and
give eternal life to those who place their faith and trust in Jesus (Acts
16:30-31), turn from their sins in repentance (Acts 17:30-31), confess Jesus
before men (Romans 10:9-10), and are baptized (immersed) into Christ for the
forgiveness of sins (Acts 2:38).

The Truth is: God will continue to cleanse from sin those who continue to
walk in the light of His Word (1 John 1:7-9).

The Truth is: If we want others to walk in the Truth, we must seek to do the
same. That includes acknowledging our failures when we fall short and
genuinely turning from our sins and seeking to conform our lives to the
Truth.

If we want others to walk in the way of Truth, we must seek to walk that
way. Obey the Truth, live the Truth, and model the Truth before others.
Only then can we invite others to "walk this way."

-- David A. Sargent

* Source: Our Daily Bread, Henry G. Bosch, April, 15, 1998, as quoted in
www.ministry127.com

David A. Sargent, Minister