After this I will pour out my Spirit on all humanity; then your sons and your daughters will prophesy, your old men will have dreams, and your young men will see visions. Joel 2:28
The reporters were crowded into the locker room, moving from player to player. Ordinarily the coach didn’t allow the media to talk to his men until after the game, but this was the Super Bowl, and he was confident it wouldn’t be too much of a distraction. He had, however, drawn the line: “You may be in here up to sixty minutes before the game,” he had announced to the crowd of cameramen and reporters outside the stadium. “From now until one hour before kickoff is all you get.” He stepped out of the way. It was a good thing he did, or he would have been trampled by the crush.
Armed with microphones and cameras, reporters began talking to the players.
One by one, each man gave the typical pregame drivel: “Our opponents are good, but we’re ready. We’ve got a great organization behind us, and our team is focused.” And then, to the surprise of the media, each player included the following: “I am so enthusiastic about this game today,” the fired-up men said. “I have spent the season playing offensive tackle (or free safety or tight end), but this is such a big game that I’ve decided to be the quarterback.” Each man had made the decision that he was going to be taking the snap, throwing the passes, and handing the ball to the running back and occasionally “sneaking” the ball. He would be the one talking in the huddle and calling the audibles on the line of scrimmage when unexpected defenses were set.
Can you imagine the reporters gathering outside the locker room at the appointed one-hour-before-kickoff time, scratching their heads in disbelief? “These guys are crazy,” they would rightly say. “They don’t have a chance out there today.”
If you’re married, God has put you in a family for good reasons. It is in His wonderful plan that each member plays a unique role, a role that builds toward the good of the whole family. And as a Christian family, God has even more exciting plans than just an ordinary, run-of-the-mill home.
The prophet Joel reminds us of something important: when God decides to “pour out [his] Spirit on all humanity” (v. 28), He’s going to call each player to take their positions on the field. He’s going to use the mouths of children to speak His voice. He’s going to invite life’s veterans—your aged grandparents, parents, uncles, aunts—to see what you can’t see. You’re moving so fast, how could you?
And God promises to give you the unique ability to have a vision, to set the goals— the standards—high.
If you have children, you’re a dad. You’ve got seriously important work to do. At times it feels like everyone and everything depend on you. Not so. When God’s Spirit visits your family—and He does on a regular basis—He’s going to use each person— your children or stepchildren, your wife, your parents, and you—to bring His love and healing to one another and to your world.
Celebrate the gifts of each person in your family. Be glad that, in God’s marvelous plan, He made running backs, pulling guards, middle linebackers, and quarterbacks like you and me. His Spirit and work in your family is proof that He is the Lord and should cause you to praise His name together (see vv. 26–27).