Fathers: For All You Have Done

June 2023

We have many treasures in this world, but one of the greatest of all is our fathers. Fathers are wonderful; they are special; they are unique. They are mentors, teachers, leaders, examples, and friends to us. Without them we are lost, and there is a huge void in our lives. Some of our fathers are no longer with us here on earth, and we miss them so very much. For the ones who knew the Lord, we will see them in glory.

Proverbs 4:1 says, “Hear, my children, the instruction of a father, and give attention to know understanding.” Oh, how much we have learned and continue to learn from our fathers. They have so much wisdom, maturity, and experience. The son learns from his father so he can pass on the lessons to his son. In the spiritual life, this is so vital to our growth and development.

The godly father is both a man of steel and a man of velvet. There is that wonderful combination of strength and kindness that is found in a father. Real men love Jesus and are not afraid to be vulnerable and speak and show their love to their sons on a daily basis. The task of being a father in today’s world is not easy. Only the Holy Spirit through the Word of God can help us be the fathers He wants us to be.

We should be proud of our fathers and thank God for them, and not only that, we should tell them often. The story is told of three boys who were having a bragging contest to determine whose dad was the most influential and knew the most famous people. Johnny said, “Well, my dad knows the mayor real well.” The other two began to plan their response. Billy said, “Well, that’s nothing. My dad knows the governor and they grew up in the same town.” Tommy thought for a moment. “Well, you know that my dad is a pastor, and he knows God.” The other two boys could not top Tommy’s claim and the three wandered off to play agreeing Tommy had won the discussion.

Tommy’s dad, a pastor, had overheard the conversation and was struck by his son’s words. He sat down in his study and prayed, “Oh, God. Please let me live in such a way that my kids will always say about me, “My dad really knows God.”

On this Father’s Day, let us pause to thank God for our fathers, appreciate them, love them, and spend time with them. Time goes by so fast, and life is so short. We have so little time to be a blessing to our fathers. The older we get the more we appreciate them.