If I had only one word to describe my father, it would be faithfulness.
As Father’s Day comes and goes, my father has not. He is still here, both literally and figuratively.
I am thankful that we have days set apart for honoring our fathers and mothers and I believe that it is fitting for us to recognize those who have gone before us. As a relatively new father, it has become more and more obvious exactly how faithful my father has been.
Reflecting back on my first Father’s Day as a father, I can’t begin to express the gratitude that I have for a father who taught me what it means to love your family, and to raise them in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.
The story begins with my father marrying my mother. Not only did he marry her, but he also was faithful. On the one hand, he is only doing what a married man should do. On the other hand, he is doing what so many men fail to do.
As a child, I recognized that my father was faithful to my mother, but I had no understanding of the rarity of his fidelity. As a man, I have seen the reality that most marriages do not proceed this way. In a world weighed down with divorce, adultery and enmity, I had a father who expressed cheerful fidelity to my mother. He taught me along the way that a good wife is the crown of her husband and worthy of honor.
The story continues with a father who was always happy to provide. There wasn’t a morning where he chose to pursue pleasure above responsibility. He worked hard and with integrity.
As I’ve become an adult, I’ve had the pleasure of following in his footsteps. Literally.
I’ve worked with his tools in the places where he once worked, and have had the pleasure of hearing what a good man and good employee he was. He left footprints that I have been able to stand in. He left a legacy of honesty and ethics that have benefited me in gaining employment and that have left me with something to reach for.
Beyond this, he protected me. He disciplined me to protect me from the perils of foolishness. He sheltered me from the many dangers of the world. Perhaps the most important protection he provided was the protection from having a violent or unruly father.
From someone who usually writes polemical, political and philosophical columns, this column may seem out of place. I hope it is a nice reprieve from contention.
Regardless, I owe a large debt of gratitude to a good man who is leaving a good legacy. You aren’t going to
find a biography about him, but the legacy of my father is greater than any historical hero that I can find.
Rather than statistics about the importance of fathers, I hope these words about my father’s faithfulness – in the work of parenting – provide enough reason and encouragement to my father – and other fathers – to continue on in faithfulness.
Jeremy Wiggins writes a bi-weekly columnist for The Graham Star. He can be reached via email, jeremywiggins87@gmail.com.