My father is good at many things, but he’s particularly
great at one thing—growing things. His
fridge, freezers, and pantry bulge each year with prolific fruits and
vegetables gathered from his yard and garden, and, for decades, hundreds of
acres of peanuts, soybeans, corn, and cotton were harvested from land he
farmed, but it wasn’t only plants I had in mind. I was thinking more about people.
Just as the plants he tilled and tended required much effort
be put in to help them grow and mature, so my dad generously gave much of himself
to many around him. He grew a dating
relationship with his college sweetheart into a marriage which has lasted
happily over half a century. He grew
three adventurous and curious offspring into somewhat normal and productive adults. (I’m bracing for the comments!) His love and guidance are helping nine treasured
grandchildren grow in a broader understanding of the earth where they live and
the eternity they are designed for.
Though my father would strongly(and rightly) maintain
that while we may plant or water, only God makes things grow(1 Cor. 3:6), I
will tell you that God used my dad’s faith and faithfulness to grow the
ministry of a small, country church from a local focus to widespread support
and excitement for domestic and international missions. During the thirty years he pastored that one congregation,
he grew the members in their knowledge of the God of the Word by devotedly
teaching them the Word of God.
Along with his brothers, my father grew a family farm
into a thriving business providing jobs and support for many employees. He also grew the influence and effectiveness
of the Christian school we attended by serving on the board for many years, giving much of his time to handle issues and
help the administration, and generously donating finances in times of need. Because of what he did, thousands of children
and their families have grown in God’s love and truth.
We’re instructed in God’s Word to “grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ”(2
Peter 3:18), and my father’s example of obedience has grown my own
relationship with Jesus. Fifty years ago,
my dad walked away from a lucrative and secure electrical engineering job to
work as a missionary with a Christian radio station in the Caribbean. Through
his example, my faith grew to believe that God has better plans than what the
world considers best, and my understanding that God’s Word is the only word
that matters has increased.
I saw my dad just yesterday and held his big, strong
hand as our family gathered to pray before we headed back to Florida. After the “Amen,” he put his long arms around
me and my oldest daughter and encouraged us to read Malachi 3:16-17 in
preparation for our upcoming youth camp.
On the drive home, I looked up the reference and found this verse:
“Then those who feared the Lord talked with each other, and the Lord
listened and heard. A scroll of
remembrance was written in God’s presence concerning those who feared the Lord
and honored his name”(vs 16).
If God is still writing such scrolls, I know my father’s
name would be on one, for God’s grace has grown him into a man who daily fears the
Lord and honors God’s name in all of his life.
What a blessing to grow up with a dad whose deepest desire was the glory
of God, and how beautiful to know that our Heavenly Father says to all who know
Him, “They will be mine”(vs 17).
Happy Father’s Day, Daddy. I love you. Thank you for helping me, and so
many others, grow in so many ways.
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