Yes, it’s Father’s Day season! In keeping with this event that celebrated the third Sunday of June each year, here’s some thoughts on the subject from Reverend Mark Adams, Senior Pastor of Redland Baptist Church in Rockville, Maryland:
In his blog, “Dad Talk: The Shea Serrano Father’s Day Mailbag,” author Shea Serrano shares that he had just taken the exit ramp near his home when his car sputtered and died. Trying unsuccessfully to restart the car, he called a tow truck. The wrecker promptly arrived and deposited his car in the driveway of his home. Serrano popped the hood and fiddled with the wires and hoses a bit. Having exhausted his less-than-vast auto repair knowledge, he called his father.
His father listened as he explained what had happened. His father simply responded, “I’ll come up there tomorrow after work.” Shea’s father lived 215 miles from him. His dad was going to drive up after driving a city bus for 10 hours. Shea’s father arrived on his doorstep three hours after he had turned in his bus at the depot. He said hello, hugged his son, and walked back out to the driveway to have a look under the hood.
It took about 15 seconds. His father emerged from under the hood, looked at his son, returned his wrench to his toolbox, and walked past Shea to his own vehicle. “What’s wrong? Did you not bring the right tools?” Shea asked.
“We’re done,” his dad replied.
“What’s wrong with it?”
“It’s out of gas, son.”
Shea’s dad ate with his son, and headed home. Another 215 miles. 430 miles round trip after 10 hours of driving a bus. Serrano says his father didn’t harass him or berate him that evening over dinner. He didn’t even bring it up at all. As a matter of fact, nine years later, his father had still never mentioned the embarrassing incident again. Serrano writes, “He drove 430 miles round-trip to tell me that my car needed gas and it wasn’t even a thing to him. I have three sons now: twin 7-year-olds and a 20-month-old. I want to be a dad to them like he is to me.”
I remember my dad making a much longer journey to help me with a serious crisis. He never complained, never blamed, and never brought it up again. I imagine those of us who were blessed with Godly fathers have similar memories. Times when they obeyed the instruction in Colossians 3:21 where it says, “Fathers do not provoke your children or they will become discouraged.”
Here’s a Father’s Day challenge. Go to your dad and remind him of a time he helped you without criticizing you or complaining for the inconvenience and thank him!
© 2015 Mark Adams
