And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth. (Genesis 1:26 KJV)
There are many people I have come to admire over my life – people I know personally and those I just know of. Or maybe I should say there are types of people I admire, like teachers. Without them I wouldn’t be able to write these words and have some understanding of things. My sister is one. I also admire smart people. You know, those brainiacs who’ve discovered scientific this or that, developed medicines for diseases, or Jobs and Gates who propelled us into the world of computers and beyond. I’m not one of those types of people – don’t ask me to try to come up with anything like that because I don’t have the brain power. It’s not my gift.
There are other types of people on my “I Admire” list: single moms, abused anyone, military personnel, presidents. But in today’s post I want to focus on fathers.
It’s likely that when you read a Father’s Day post or hear a Father’s Day message in a Christian context, the writer or speaker will start by proclaiming God as THE Father, how He’s a father to the fatherless, the Father who loves us better than we love ourselves, etc. You’ve heard it. While all of these statements are certainly TRUE, it gets a little old after a while. God IS Father all the time and always will be. Why talk about Him as such just on Father’s Day? Well, this is just my opinion.
When THE Father (hee hee) created man (and woman for those who need that insert), the Word says He made him after His own likeness. What does that mean? If God is faithful, then should we believe that man was endowed to be faithful? If God is forgiving, can’t we also be?
If God AS Father is loving, is it fair to believe that earthly fathers should also strive to be loving? As God is…
There are a lot of fathers out there being and doing just as God called, whether they acknowledge it on a God level or not. There are some who can’t for whatever reason, and there are some who won’t, for whatever reason. I’m not here to judge, just to admire. Including my own…
My father is hardworking, firm, always there when needed. At his core, he is all heart and all God. He raised three daughters (hard work, sometimes), and now has three li’l grands who love him as Paw Paw. I’m thankful for the example of fatherhood Mr. Larry Tate has shown to my sisters and me, and to a few others along the way.
Happy Father’s Day to all dads!
In memory of Charles E. Graham, my Paw Paw.
M E L C H E E 