What Are You Good For?

In an article in Moody Monthly, Craig Massey told about being in a restaurant when he heard an angry father say to his 7-year old son, "What good are you?" The boy, who had just spilled his milk, put his head down and said, "Nothing."

Years later, Massey said he was disgusted with his own son for a minor infraction. He heard himself ask what he called "the cruelest question a father can ask." He said, "What are you good for anyway?" His son replied, "Nothing." Immediately he regretted the question. As he thought about this, he realized that the question was all right but the answer was wrong. A few days later when his son committed another minor offense, he asked, "What are you good for?" But before his son could reply, he hugged him and kissed him and said, "I'll tell you what you're good for. You're good for loving!" Before long, whenever he asked the question, his son would say, "I'm good for loving."