Jesus said, “Everyone who acknowledges me before others I will acknowledge before my heavenly Father. But whoever denies me before others, I will deny before my heavenly Father." Courage, fortitude, good example, perseverance – the marks of a good father, those we honor this Father’s Day.
Jesus said, “Everyone who acknowledges me before others I will acknowledge before my heavenly Father. But whoever denies me before others, I will deny before my heavenly Father."
Courage, fortitude, good example, perseverance – the marks of a good father, those we honor this Father’s Day.
Certainly, not all fathers have those traits. Some fall short, some way short. But the good dads – we learn those good and noble things at their side.
My adoptive father was certainly all the good stuff plus very loving and gentle. My birth father – when the pregnancy came, he took off.
Unfortunately, my adoptive father died when I was four, so my experiences of him, while very real to me, was cut short. His role had to be taken up by the strong women around me, my mom, grandmother, aunt, and younger sister. My paternal grandfather and my godmother as well.
Those who have had good and great dads or role models, those who are good and great dads and role models, well, we take something of them with us.
When we face challenges, we find their inner strength. When we encounter messes, we set them right as they would. When cruelty and other forms of evil arise, we step into the fray as they have. The words of scripture come to mind, Be strong and stouthearted – as they were.
What children see and experience is key to their walking aright.
People ask Renee and me about our children’s – I won’t say success, but more about how they turned out overall.
The key is no mystery. There is no top secret. It was not Renee and me particularly, but those who set the example for us. Hard working dads, people of faith. That hard work and lived faith was not one day a week, it was constant. Nothing, most especially Jesus’ acknowledgment of us, comes from one day a week of work and faith.
Rather it is parents and grandparents who lived faith actively, whose faith permeated every aspect of life. Let us thank God for those He gave us, who got us ready to be acknowledged by Christ because we too live our faith.
