Scoping Integrity

I don't know if you read my "When Men Decorate" post a few weeks ago but this is "the rest of the story". After our fellowship meal was done & we were starting to close up the church, I asked my sons to start loading the truck with all the hunting equipment. Their friends, Ian & Seth, gladly lent a hand. A few minutes later, Ian came to me rather sheepishly and said, "I have a confession". He then told me that he dropped my rifle. "Is it ok?" I asked. He told me that it was leaing up against the truck and it fell over. I wasn't too concerned except that it may have knocked the scope out of alignment. Ian then offered to take it home & sight it in. They have a shooting range on their property - gotta love Georgia! The next day he called me to tell me that it was all set. Then he dropped the bomb on me. "I decided to buy a new scope & install it for you. It is all lined up, when can I drop it off?" "Now would be fine" was my shocked response. Long story short, the other scope was fine but he just wanted to honor his friend & pastor. It wasn't just any scope either. A Nikon Pro Staff 3x9x40 - Crystal clear!
Here's what blew me away beside the price tag, Ian is 17 & works part time for another brother in our church. I called his Dad, one of my best friends, to affirm that his character (Don has a deep, strong, & solid ethic) has taken root in his son. Don told Ian that he could drop his rifle too.
What makes a 17 year old young man that generous & honorable? A faithful set of parents thats who. A fella showed up at church one wednesday & Don asked him where he was staying. Long story short, he had been transfered from out west & was waiting for his house to sell. His hotel allowance was up in a few days. Don invited him to stay with them until things got worked out. I think it was about a month or so before his house sold & his family were able to come here. He stayed with Don & his family that whole time. It doesn't take a Nikon Pro Staff scope to see the integrity of the father showing up in the son.
The Church needs more parents like Don & Lisa & more sons like Ian.