The Best Father in the World

by Barbara Latta

I grew up in the sitcom era of family programs where the mom stayed at home and the dad went to work every day. Mothers like June Cleaver (from Leave it to Beaver in case you are too young to know!) vacuumed in her pumps and pearls and the table was set with the best china while the family discussed the events of the day that needed solving. Whatever trouble the kids had gotten into were dissolved amid the talk that took place later in the den with Dad.

The Andy Griffith Show, Leave It to Beaver, Father Knows Best and The Brady Bunch gave us Dads who were the strong disciplinarians when needed, but had the gentle touch of an understanding counselor when emotions got a little too out of hand.

The Simpsons, Roseanne, and Married with Children, to name a few, portray the male figure as a weak, indecisive comical figure with bad habits. The unfortunate fact is too many families are like these TV characters. The attitudes of society have been formed by Hollywood and life has taken the example into real living.

While the 50’s and 60’s generation of TV dads was still unrealistic as far as achieving the iconic pedestal they were placed upon, the values represented said a lot about society. More families of that era stayed together, kids didn’t shoot each other at school, students respected teachers and churches were the foundation of the town.

I’m not saying every dad from an earlier time was perfect or that all dads of today are modeled after Homer Simpson. But the downhill spiral of morals in entertainment has affected family life. There are more domestic violence and child abuse cases today than ever before.

The reputation of God as our Father has suffered from these inclinations, as well. If God is ever mentioned in a TV show or movie, He is mimicked or cursed. Because of this mindset, those who did not have a good relationship with their earthly dad cannot comprehend how God can be a loving Father. The human traits of an abusive parent are translated to God and a relationship with Him is not sought.

God sent Jesus to exhibit to us what being a Father was like. Jesus told His followers, Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father (John 14:9) No one could be more loving or accepting than the One who created us all.

If you don’t know the best Father in the world, now is the time to get introduced and start a relationship that will last for an eternity.

Have a happy Father’s Day celebrating the daddy that can fill your heart with everything good; nothing missing, nothing broken, nothing incomplete.

He heals the broken hearted and binds up their wounds (Psalm 147:3).

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God sent Jesus to show the world what a Father was like (click to tweet)