A Fatherly Example

A Fatherly Example

The LORD is like a father to his children, tender and compassionate to those who fear him.

Every year on Valentine’s Day, flowers arrived at school in the afternoon. Placed on tables and sorted by name, mounds of roses and carnations and daisies in glass vases sat in careful rows alongside bobbing balloons and teddy bears, waiting to be picked up. Shortly before school let out, names would be called over the intercom, letting students know that they should stop at their designated table to pick up an item.

Many of my classmates fretted over whether they’d receive something, but I never worried. Not because I was stunningly good-looking or was always in a romantic relationship, but because I knew my dad wouldn’t forget. Every year, without fail, he sent me flowers for Valentine’s Day.

My dad was my parent and disciplined me when I needed it, but he was my friend, too. In the mornings, he’d scratch my back—one of my favorite things in the world—to wake me up for school. While my sisters went clothes shopping with my mom, he and I would sneak off to Mr. Bulky’s for candy. On Sunday nights, he made Norwegian pancakes that looked like crepes, served with butter and brown sugar, rolled up and eaten hot. We loved watching action movies together, especially classic James Bond flicks. He always praised my hard work at school, always talked up my reading skills to others, always asked when I was going to write my first book. He spent time with me, encouraged me, and loved me.

So when Valentine’s Day rolled around, I didn’t worry about it. My dad had proven that I could trust him. The Psalms tell us that the Lord treats us with tenderness and compassion, like a father with his children. And it’s meaningful to remember that our parent-child relationship with God isn’t simply a discipline-based one—it’s a friendship. It’s based on time spent together, on prayer, on seeing God at work in the world. Like my relationship with my own dad, it’s one that, over time, proves trustworthy if we continue to seek him.

— Kristin

— Today’s Act of Friendship —

Thank a parent or mentor for the example they gave you of healthy ways to pursue relationships with others.