The Tater Family

You know, a church is very much like a family. Each member of the family is different and has his own special identity and his own personality. This morning, we have a very special family with us to show us how each member of the family may be different and how members of our church family may be different too. The family that I have with us this morning is the Tater family. The Tater family is made up of a father named Dick Tater, a mother whose name is Sweet Tater, a teenaged son named Speck Tater, a daughter named Emma Tater and two children in the nursery . They would be the Tater tots!

The father, Dick Tater always has to be the boss. He always tells everyone what to do. He wants to be chairman of the deacons, or at least the personnel committee. If he can't be the boss, he won't even come to church at all.

The mother, Sweet Tater, always has something nice to say about everyone. She never insists on having her own way and she would never get mad or get her feelings hurt if she didn't get her way. She really shows what the Bible calls the fruit of the Spirit; love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.

The teenaged son, Speck Tater just doesn't want to get involved. He doesn't want any jobs, he just wants to sit back and watch everyone else do the work. Of course, if they don't do it to suit him, he will surely be the first to criticize and find fault.

The daughter, Emma Tater, is more worried about what she wears to church than she is about what happens at church. It is very important to her that she is dressed in the latest style so that she won't be embarrassed. She wants every one to notice that she is very "cool."

Well, that brings us to the Tater tots in the nursery. I don't know how they will turn out, but they will probably look at the other members of the family and decide that they want to be like one of them. They might become a Dick Tater, a Sweet Tater, a Speck Tater, or an Emma Tater. Let's hope that they make the right choice.

Dear Lord, as we choose the type of church family member we will be, help us to make the right choices. Let us show the fruit of your Spirit in our lives. Amen.