 Fatherhood Julian Lennon, son of the late John Lennon, was interviewed a while back. The reporter asked him, "So what have you learned from your famous father?" Julian, now in his thirties, snapped back, "I have learned how NOT to be a father." The man who told us, "All you need is love," failed miserably in reaching his own son. One of the philosophers who provided the basis for Hitler's insane rationale for his heinous crimes was Nietsche. I was surprised to learn that Nietsche was the son of a pastor. Apparently his father turned him off so badly that it was Nietsche who coined the phrase, "God is dead." I have worn a number of hats in my life, but the most important role I have ever assumed is that of father. If I preached like the Apostle Paul, or even did miracles, yet failed to love my children and raise them to live godly lives, then I would be a miserable failure. For all of our technological advances, and all of our toys, we are in danger of losing an entire generation. Maleness, masculinity, manliness, call it what you will, we are seeing more and more rage perpetrated by resentful, incomplete human beings who have never known the love of a father. The early church father Ireneaus once wrote: "The Glory of the Lord is a man fully alive." I am the poster boy for what the Lord can do, if we will follow him. I had no precedent for being a father. In fact, sadly, my sentiments would have been similar to those of Julian Lennon. Men, why not step up to the plate and, "act the man?" "Rise up, oh man of God, the world for you doth wait." Pastor Jim |
