Three military recruiters were invited to a high school assembly to make fifteen minute presentations each. The first two recruiters each spoke well beyond their designated time, which left the final recruiter, a Marine, with only two minutes. He walked to the podium and stood in front of the microphone in silence for a full minute. Then he spoke. “I doubt whether there are two or three of you in this room who have what it takes to be a Marine. But I want to see those two or three in the dining hall immediately after we are dismissed.” He turned smartly and sat down. After the assembly, a long line of students waited in the dining hall to talk to him.

Jesus was always clear about one thing—to follow him would be costly. “If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me,” he declared unapologetically (Luke 9:23). Does it seem to you that Jesus deliberately set the bar too high for most people to follow him?

After all, if someone wants to recruit large masses of people for a cause, logic says you would try to make it as appealing as possible. Yet, Jesus said things like, “deny yourself…take up your cross…you must be slave of all…go and sell all you have…and foxes have holes, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head”. He even had the audacity to say, “if anyone comes to me and does not hate his father and mother, his wife and children, his brothers and sisters—yes, even his own life—he cannot be my disciple” (Luke 14:26). Isn’t that a bit unreasonable? Not for genuine followers. Jesus knew that an unwillingness to leave behind what is comfortable and familiar would lead to half-hearted devotion to Him and His purposes.

The same is true of grandparents who want to make an impact upon their grandchildren. Intentional grandparents serious about following Christ simply are not content to be ‘good’ grandparents. Intentional grandparents count the cost and have laid aside their personal agendas to fulfill Christ’s agenda to reach another generation with the Gospel. This is radical grandparenting, something very different from the typical, run-of-the-mill grandparent many of us know.

The Marine knew there were likely few of those in the line who would actually answer the call. It is probable that only a few of you are willing to be an intentional grandparent today. There may not be long lines waiting to join the cause. But, if you are one of those few, join me on September 11^th as we call grandparents around the world to see aside this day as Grandparents’ Day of Prayer. If you are among the few radical grandparents committed to helping the next generation know, love and serve Christ, this could be a great opportunity to invite others to the cause with you. Will you contact your pastor and let him know you would like to call grandparents in your church to gather on Grandparents’ Day, September 11^th to pray?

Most importantly, if you represent the few willing to follow Christ unconditionally, I want to encourage you to press on no matter how difficult it may be. You are not alone. Together, because the Lord is with us, we will fight for our children, our grandchildren—our families.  Visit our Million Praying Grandparents web site and let us know you are on the team.

GRANDPAUSE: God uses men who are weak and feeble enough to lean on him.
–Hudson Taylor