Father’s Day Reflections

Today is Father’s Day, a day to recognize the beauty of the relationship between good fathers and their children. Without good fathers, boys would remain boys instead of becoming men and girls would not know their value when they become women. In a world where the definition of masculinity has become more fluid, more ethereal, we need examples of what it means to be a good man—examples of gentleness, humility, leadership and, above all, love. Father’s Day celebrates these true and good examples of manhood and masculinity and presents them to the world to be emulated by other men.

For Christians, earthly Fatherhood is a reflection of our divine Father in heaven. From behind the scenes, God the Father creates us and sustains us. Our earthly fathers create us (of course women do most of the work) and sustain us with the use of their hands and the tenderness of their love. The heavenly Father delights in giving us good gifts like the gift of his Holy Spirit. Good earthly fathers also delight in giving their children good gifts. Whether it be material gifts or spiritual gifts, their faces light as they watch the joy their children experience when they receive these gifts.

God is a forgiving Father. Look at the story of the prodigal “sons” (both sons in the story are lost). When the younger son, who wasted his birthright on prostitutes and wasteful living, returned home expecting retribution from his father, his father instead ran to him and embraced him, forgiving him the moment he saw him. When the elder son mocked the father by refusing to join in the festivities celebrating his brother’s return, the father forgave him and sought him out, pleading for him to join the celebration. This allegory implies the forgiveness of the heavenly Father for the selfish and the self-righteous. Whatever we have done, no matter how heinous, if we come to him, he will run to us and embrace us with his forgiveness.

A good earthly father shows the same extravagant forgiveness God shows his children. When their child fails or does wrong, they don’t crush them under the weight of judgment and condemnation, they take the child in their arms, lean in, and whisper in their ear, “I forgive you and I love you.” Even if it hurts, a good father continues to forgive, over and over they continue to forgive.

I am incredibly blessed to have an earthly father who reflects God into my world. He has sustained me all of my life by providing for me materially through years of hard work, physically, supporting me in disability by showering me, feeding me, dressing me, and so much more, and spiritually by offering constant support. My father has given me gifts I will forever be grateful for. He paid for my college without complaint and now he provides me with a home rent free. He always forgive me no matter what I have done, and I have done some pretty unforgivable things. I would not know the love of God without the love of my dad.