The priceless gift every home needs
HERE-of-late, every time I pick up the newspaper, I read about some father killing his wife (mostly reputed), or maiming her; and about other forms of domestic violence and abuse to his family, even impregnating his own daughter(s); or about a son’s retaliation to a father, and vice versa. But as grim as that may seem, children, should it really prejudice your minds and take away from the biblical injunction of Exodus 20:12, which exhorts us all to “honour our fathers”?
Twenty-year-old Bernice walked into a popular store in Georgetown, where she noticed there were just two shelves of Father’s Day cards remaining. Upon close examination, she observed that those were the same old cards from which she had made her last year’s selection; and she asked the store attendant if she was expecting a new addition to the stock. To her surprise, the store attendant replied, “Nah man! Nobaddy don’t buy Father’s Day cards. We ent gon waste money to bring in more of that!”
To my mind, the above reports are suggesting that some fathers are unloved, neglected, and easily discarded. I wondered what were the determinants propelling fathers to fall from grace like this, and whether this state of affairs should be allowed to continue. Why should the head, the pillar, the one person on earth that we look up to; the pedestal upon which the family stands, fall victim to this misfortune?
On the brighter side, when I interviewed Maisie the other day, she had this to say about her father: “When I said my first words, you were there for me, to teach me the whole dictionary if need be. When I took my first steps, you were there to encourage me on. When I had my first day at school, you were there to give me advice and help me with my homework.”
“I still haven’t finished school, or walked down the aisle, or had my first child; but I know you will be there for me through all those times and more, the good and bad. So I just wrote this to say, ‘I LOVE YOU DAD!’”
My own father was a strict disciplinarian; and although I did not always agree with him, now that I am grown, I can see the wisdom behind his every reason. But he went to be with the Lord while I was yet young, and like this little girl, I loved him and dearly miss him.
There are many like me, who have lost their father at an early age; and there are those who may never have an opportunity of calling anyone on earth ‘father’.  We may not like who our father is, or who he turned out to be; but the fact remains that he is the main contributory factor to our arrival here on earth. Do not let us deprive him of that love. Let’s get back to basics, back to order, back to the Bible, for the benefit of all.
Many young men of today will soon be the fathers of tomorrow. Let us give our men all the love we can, and look forward to receiving same from them. As you can see, this affinity for fathers cuts both ways. While some are definitely psychologically sick, I believe that the majority are of sound mind.
A father’s contribution should always tip the scale. We expect him to go the extra mile; we expect him to have strength; we expect him to stand tall at all times, and not to waiver or lose faith; to put self aside, and to work for the good of his family. Yes, father, as difficult and demanding as it may seem, you have a great responsibility towards the upbringing and nurturing of your children.
My husband and I lived together for twenty-five (25) years. August next would make it 22 years since he has passed to the great beyond. During those years, I learnt to understand him. There was always something new to learn about, and to appreciate him for who he was. His responsibility was tremendous, and so much was expected of him.
Sometimes, we women just take our husbands for granted. We never take the time to see if they are struggling to overcome abuse of some kind — social or otherwise — encountered during their formative years, and perhaps see how best we could help to heal those wounds. Come on women, the answers might well be with you: Your understanding him, supporting him and going that extra mile to love him as commanded in 1st John 4:7-8.
As we prepare to celebrate Father’s Day this year, let’s remember the fathers or father-figures in our lives with a new kind of understanding and love.
Unfortunately, a lot of children have grown up without a father present in the home, leaving single mothers to raise their children alone.
Some mothers became the fathers, because the fathers chose to abandon their responsibilities as fathers. And some fathers may have been pushed away by the mothers, due to difficulties in the relationship.
There are many reasons why a certain state of affairs obtains, and some truths are not easy to swallow; but we know that Satan’s role is to dissolve the family by purposefully splitting it apart. He knows that if the father isn’t present, the mother’s role in raising her children will be very difficult financially, emotionally and physically.
Yes, women, I understand your travail; it has not gone unnoticed. But do you know that the absence of the father may result in his daughter looking for love and acceptance from men who will only use and abuse her? Do you know that the absence of the father may also result in his son being angry and abusive towards women who seek to love him? Do you know that the absence of fathers in the homes can cause our society to become progressively dangerous, evil and loveless?
A father’s presence in the home is today more desirable than ever.
Happy Father’s Day to fathers everywhere; and to my own father I say, “I love you daddy! You’re gone, but not forgotten!”