Wandering Crusader Father’s Day

Knowing this, that the law is not made for a righteous man, but for the lawless and disobedient, for the ungodly and for sinners… 1Timothy 1:9

I have two fathers, an earthly one and a heavenly one. I share their image and likeness both physically and spiritually. They taught me many of the same lessons and formed in me many of the same values. There, I will depart for the expected and cover some unusual ground.

My earthly father was not what most people would call a religious man. I was not taken to, nor sent to, church. In fact, I was scolded, and my father lost a friend when he discovered that his friend had taken me to church. My father and I never really talked about why he felt that way. We didn’t talk about a lot of things; it just wasn’t done. Nevertheless, I feel I knew my father well.

I certainly acquired from him a basic introduction to the Christianity I would experience years later. Study to show thyself approved. Swear to your own hurt and change not. Be merciful and forgive. Let a man examine himself. Speak the things that become sound doctrine. I learned all those from my father’s words and deeds before I became a Christian.

My father was the kind of man that is often the hardest to win to Christ—a good man. I would even dare to say a righteous man. My becoming a Christian did not sway him to the faith. He did finally consent to enter a church to see my youngest son dedicated. I knew hammering was not the way to present the gospel. So, I made a deal with my father. I would not speak to him concerning Christianity, in exchange for his listening to a cassette tape of me preaching.

I gave him the tape, and nothing more was said until we knew he was dying. After all those years, he finally listened. “I didn’t know you could preach like that,” he said and gave me a look I clearly understood. He responded to the invitation given on the tape just as some at church that day did. He was Christ’s.

He died a month later, but I have never ceased trying to be the man that he taught me to be, because as it turns out, in many ways, it is the same man my heavenly Father wants me to be.

Maranatha