It's Not Too Late

This week we've had my two nephews visiting us from Michigan. This is the first time in 13 years that we've had both of them here at the same time, and my mom is reveling in having all six of her grandkids in the same place at the same time. Tuesday, as we sat huddled under a rain shelter at Water World, my 17-year-old nephew had one of my girls cuddled up in a towel on his lap and another slumped against his shoulder, his arms wrapped protectively around them. My nearly 20-year-old nephew happily commented, "I don't think I've ever had my hand held so much in my life!" He later gave my 8-year-old the pep talk of her life to get her on one of the scarier rides, and afterward, she told him, "You believed in me!" It felt like some scripted TV show, except it was for real! We've had badminton tournaments, card games, Full House trivia contests, and late-night video game competitions. Who would have ever imagined that two big boys and a couple of little girls could become the best of friends?

One of the deepest regrets of my 30s was that I went more than six years without seeing my brother. He didn't know my kids, and I didn't know his. Our kids didn't know each other. My children are outrageously blessed with Jones cousins, but they had no relationship with the cousins from my side of the family. As the years ticked by, it was easy to believe that kids separated by so much distance as well as age would never be close. It was easy to believe that it was too late.

But this week has shown me that it's never too late. That's one of those big lies that's so easy for us to believe. But when has God ever said it's too late? As long as our hearts are still pumping, our lungs still breathing, it is never too late for any relationship.

Author Ann Patchett writes of her friendship with a former teacher, a nun at her Catholic elementary school. The nun was particularly hard on her, obviously because she saw potential in Ann, but no 10-year-old understands that. She just knew the nun made her miserable and she was happy to finally get away from her. The two reconnected decades later, and now they go grocery shopping together every week and are the closest of friends. It took 40 years, but it was not too late for God to use that relationship in both of their lives.

It's never too late to reconcile with estranged friends, siblings, or parents.It's never too late to have the kind of marriage you dream of. It's never too late to make a new friend or to get to know the neighbor you've lived next to for 10 years.

It only makes sense that the great Redeemer of souls is also the great Redeemer of time. As long as we're still alive, it's never too late.