Having children seems to work a civilising influence on men of my acquaintance. I'm thinking particularly of a good friend, Michael, whose wife and three tiny daughters have smoothed from mere genius engineer into family man and genius engineer. The Meeks family have generously fed us on many occasions since they started up!
As an undergraduate, I didn't quite realise what a great influence Michael was having on the Christians in college. He was in his third year when I arrived at Downing. His beard, his eccentricities and his uncompromising faith - never afraid to ask hard questions or stand up for Christ - really bolstered my walk with God, and I'm sure that was true for many of my peers. I've only come to realise what I owe to older Christians like him as I've grown up a little and got married to an older Christian myself (older by 2 months!)
Although hearty, Michael is extremely humble, and so until recently I didn't realise quite how famous, yea distinguished he is. The world of (opensource) software is a pretty closed book to me, but even a dusty artist can see that its social and technological significance is pretty vast. Praise God for men like him. The words of Paul to the church in Philippi are apt...
Join with others in following my example, brothers, and take note of those who live according to the pattern we gave you. For, as I have often told you before and now say again even with tears, many live as enemies of the cross of Christ. Their destiny is destruction, their god is their stomach, and their glory is in their shame. Their mind is on earthly things. But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Saviour from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, who, by the power that enables him to bring everything under his control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body.
