Joshua LOVES Switchfoot!!! He is a huge fan!!! Joshua knows not only all of their names but details of their lives too. He plays their music constantly! He talks about them constantly! It was his birthday wish to see them in concert. So, we trekked the entire family to Centreville to see Switchfoot perform there.
At the Awakening Festival, Joshua, Caleb, and Bethany learned Switchfoot was signing autographs BEFORE their concert instead of afterwards as they had been told. There was not enough time afterwards, so the band was getting it in early. My three middles raced off!
In line, they were told the signings were shutting down in a few minutes! Joshua battled inwardly: personally meet the band OR let Bethany get his stuff signed for him while he went to get Amanda so she could get her stuff signed and meet them too. He gave up meeting the entire band and getting their autographs so Amanda could get a chance!
Bethany gets up there with her and Joshua's program, and Jon Foreman tells her they can only sign one program per person. Undaunted, my normally very shy Bethany quietly explained what Joshua did and why. The entire band happily signed Joshua's program! Way cool, Switchfoot! Hats off to ya, boys!
I am proud of Joshua for putting Amanda's desires first. Real love puts the other person first instead of seeking their own. (I Corinthians 13:5) But, that's not the end of the story...
Joshua was later in line to get the Peter Furler Band autographs. Not knowing who he was or what he had done, Jon Foreman of Switchfoot stood up and looked straight at Joshua and held out his hand to him. Joshua walked up to him and shook his hand. Then, he got to shake hands with all of the other band members! Birthday wish fulfilled!
Joshua chose Amanda's desires over his own and thought he was giving up the most important part of his birthday gift. Because he put Amanda first, God gave all of that back to Joshua but in a beautiful way that has touched many hearts.
God knew exactly what meeting the band meant to Joshua. God also knew how Joshua waged a war in his heart between his desires and Amanda's desires. I told Joshua and his six siblings: God was showing him that when we give sacrificially, He gives us something better than we could have imagined back. We might not always see it, because the reward might be in Heaven or in a way we don't comprehend.
God is good all of the time!
Philippians 2:3 Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves.
Proverbs 11:25 A generous person will prosper; whoever refreshes others will be refreshed.
Proverbs 11:25 A generous person will prosper; whoever refreshes others will be refreshed.
