Swell Saturday: Fantastic Fathers Edition

It probably would have been better if I'd posted this on Friday, because then it could have been "Fantastic Fathers Friday" but oh well.

My dad is a very humble guy (I know you’re asking yourself, “How did he produce someone like Jenny?”) and would never brag about himself, so I’m going to have to do the job for him. I warn you now that this is an unabashedly gushy post.

If my mom is a Proverbs 31 woman, my dad is definitely a First Timothy 3:1-7 man. I read through these qualifications for overseers a few days ago and was struck by how much they reminded me of my dad. So in honor of Fathers' Day, please indulge me as I show how my dad is indeed a First Timothy 3:1-7 man.

“It is a trustworthy statement: if any man aspires to the office of overseer, it is a fine work he desires to do. An overseer, then, must be above reproach, the husband of one wife”: Each morning, my dad gets up early, makes a cup of Caffe De Vita (or Coffee of Life as we say in our family) and brings it to my mom. This is just one of thousands of ways that my dad serves and cares for her each day. He has set the great husband bar remarkably high.

“Temperate”: When I was a kid, my dad and I joked about “buffeting our bodies and making them our slaves,” (pronouncing “buffet” like “buh-fey”) and would laugh at the idea of gorging ourselves with food to produce self discipline. But while I still enjoy “buh-feying”my body, my dad has truly made his body his slave. He isn’t controlled by sleep; he wakes up before sunrise every day to study his Bible and pray. He isn’t controlled by leisure; he works out with a master’s swim team, is in great shape, and has a killer Butterfly stroke. He isn’t controlled by his stomach; the healthy food that he enjoys puts my regular diet of burgers and fries to shame. He isn’t controlled by the television; he spends an amazing amount of time reading and contemplating new ideas. I’m in awe of his self control.

“Prudent”: Our church staff meetings begin with prayer requests and when one of us is struggling with a particularly tough problem, most of us will make very concerned faces, sympathize with what that person is going through, and earnestly say, “That must be hard – we’ll pray for that.” Often my dad will then speak up and say something like, “Have you tried writing a letter to explain your concerns?” or “Have you looked into different scholarship programs – I know a few websites you could check out.” or “We experienced that a few years ago and this helped us.” The troubled staff member’s eyes suddenly light up and he or she will say, “I never thought of doing that. I’ll give it a try!” My dad has a wealth of practical wisdom.

“Respectable”: Even when I was young, I sensed that people respected my dad. He's honorable, doesn't compromise on what he knows is right and never goes back on his word or wavers.

“Hospitable”: Growing up, we always had people over at our house. Whether it was a small group Bible study on Wednesday nights, our annual Christmas party, or emergency counseling appointments, my dad was constantly willing to open our home to others. He’s a truly fantastic host and comes up with the best party activities. “Full Contact Pictionary” remains one of my favorite party games ever.

“Able to Teach”: I continually hear about my dad’s preaching. At my weekly small group someone always says, “This reminds me of what John talked about last week. Wasn’t that a helpful sermon?” When I talk with members of our congregation I hear, “Your dad’s sermon was so good this morning. I felt like he was speaking right to me.” When I travel and meet people who knew my dad when he was with Campus Crusade they’ll often say, “Your dad was an amazing Bible teacher. I learned so much from him.” My dad’s sermons are a wonderful mix of in depth Bible study, great storytelling, and practical application. I leave his talks with a better understanding of Scripture, strong conviction of my own sin, and appreciation for my Lord. Plus, he gives every sermon completely from MEMORY. I’d like to see Jonathan Edwards do that.

“Not addicted to wine or pugnacious, but gentle, peaceable”: As much as I like to think of myself as sweet and gentle, I can be pretty pugnacious. Whether someone cuts me off on the freeway, disagrees with an argument I think is airtight, or is condescending in any way, I’m ready to duke it out right there. Even though my dad’s opinions are just as strong as mine, I’m amazed at how well he handles conflict. He believes the best about people. He gives people the benefit of the doubt. He’s patient and kind. He’s able to diffuse tense situations and cut right to the heart of the matter without getting personally offended. I could learn a lot from his example.

“Free from the love of money”: I never thought about money as a kid because I never heard my parents talk about it. I now know that money was pretty tight at times, but my dad never made it an issue. He always trusted God to provide and saw money as a tool to help others and further God’s Kingdom. He remains unfailingly generous and constantly treats people to lunch.

“He must be one who manages his own household well, keeping his children under control with all dignity.”: I can’t remember a time that my dad was not actively discipling me. In preschool, my favorite game was “Ethical Questions” where my dad would describe a difficult moral situation and I would have to figure out the best way to handle it. (I remember asking him for a really tough one and he gave me the “Is lying ever right/hiding Jews in your basement in Nazi Germany” question.) As an elementary schooler, he told me Bible stories all the time. He was a master in setting up a story and I was so excited to hear about what happened to the Israelites after they made the Golden Calf or what happened to Esther after Xerxes held his nationwide beauty pageant. In junior high, he taught me the inductive Bible study method (I think I still have some of my old notes). Before my first dance in high school, my dad and mom helped me think through how I would handle every potential situation that could occur. I still constantly go to him for counsel.

“And he must have a good reputation with those outside the church, so he will not fall into reproach and the snare of the devil.”: My dad has always cared about serving the greater community and supports it in various ways including working as the swim coach at the local high school a few years ago, spearheading a movement of community service at our church, tutoring fourth graders in reading, beautifying a playground, and much more.

So there you have it. I love you, Dad! Happy Fathers' Day!