Sunday, June 20, 2004
About the Notion of "Father"
Today in America, we celebrate not only the first day of summer, but also Father's Day; a day to celebrate fatherhood, and for children to show respect and gratitude to their fathers.
Ever since I was a youth minister, and now that I am an armchair anthropologist, I have always found the role of father interesting. It is a position that takes no qualification, other than virility. A child has no choice in deciding its father, and the father may or may not even want the child.
Keeping these things in mind, the father is a key player in how the child turns out (both genetically and behaviorally). In both the subtle and direct things a father says and does, he shapes the child into who they become as an adult. Unwittingly, a child's strengths and weaknesses are both set by its father. A child can of course overcome these things (in either a negative or positive way), but it is the father who sets the course of a child's life. Even if it is in absence.
So many of my friends have been shaped by their fathers, for better or worse. Many of them have neglected or refused to break out of the mold set by their fathers. Others have struggled continually to break free. I myself have come to terms with many of the qualities my father instilled on me, and have learned to appreciate them. Other fossils from my childhood, I am constantly trying to overcome.
Another reason I find the notion of fatherhood interesting is because Christians believe strongly in the primacy of fatherhood. They use it in numerous illusions to God's nature. Christians see God as the Father of all mankind, and he acts as earthly father's should (only better). There are numerous fables and parables in the Bible alluding to the Father and how the events between man and child echo the relationship between human and creator.
One such story is found in Luke chapter 15, and it is the passage my church covered today. It is the story better known as the "Parable of the Prodigal Son." In this story, a son decides to leave his father's farm, collect his inheritance early, and spend his youth living a worldly life.
The youth quickly exhausts his resources, and wanders about poor. He sinks to the lowest lows, and finds himself too ashamed to return home. When things grow too dire, he swallows his pride, and returns to the family farm. He begs his father to take him on as a hired man (not as a son), but to his surprise the farmer forgives the son, and throws a royal feast to celebrate his return.
Christians love this story, because it fits the "happy ending" theology that plagues the American church. By this I mean there are a lot of Christians who see God as this farmer, who is going to overlook all of our foul deeds, and welcome us to heaven with a banquet. There are aspects of this that agree with Christian theology, do not get me wrong, but there is a large portion of this story that is being overlooked.
The easy aspects of this story stand out: do not live a worldly life because it leads to destruction, and fathers should always forgive, and will always love you if you only swallow your pride and come home. Nice sentiments.
But the hard part of this story, and the part that rarely gets taught, is what happens after the lost son returns. His brother, who had been faithful, loyal, and hard working the entire time, began to feel angry. He did not understand why the best food was being brought forth to reward the prodigal brother for his ignorance. During the entire time, the "good" brother went "unappreciated."
this is the real message of the story. The words of the father echo through the Bible, and haunt those of us who struggle to maintain an even moral keel... those of us who try to stay faithful, and wrestle with our faith daily. To us, and the "good" son, the father has this to say;
"My son, you are always with me, and everything I have is yours. But we had to celebrate and be glad, because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found." (Luke 15:31 NIV)
That is it. That is the comfort and explanation the good son receives. The message is this...
Deal with it. Being faithful is its own reward. If all being moral means to you is a one-time party, then you are as lost as the Prodigal was.
Many of us are prodigals, and totally place our hopes in God pacing back and forth across his throneroom, waiting for us to be found again. Yet others of us are working hard, slaving away at faith and morality with no apparent reward for our labor. And we will get none; that is, if we are looking for the wrong kind of rewards.
Its worthwhile to consider this story, whether you believe in Christ or not. Are you attempting to be moral or are you in thw carefree, worldly phase of your life? If you are in the world, when do you intend on coming back to morality? If you are laboring for morality and truth, what do you assume you are doing it for? If you are hoping for reward, you may be sorely disappointed.
Anyway, it is a longwinded blog already, so I will end it by saying that the words of Christ can be as confusing and perplexing as those of Confucius, Lao-Tzu, and other wise men. In those tough teachings, the ones that seem counter to our hopes and dreams, is truth. Happy Father's Day.
Ever since I was a youth minister, and now that I am an armchair anthropologist, I have always found the role of father interesting. It is a position that takes no qualification, other than virility. A child has no choice in deciding its father, and the father may or may not even want the child.
Keeping these things in mind, the father is a key player in how the child turns out (both genetically and behaviorally). In both the subtle and direct things a father says and does, he shapes the child into who they become as an adult. Unwittingly, a child's strengths and weaknesses are both set by its father. A child can of course overcome these things (in either a negative or positive way), but it is the father who sets the course of a child's life. Even if it is in absence.
So many of my friends have been shaped by their fathers, for better or worse. Many of them have neglected or refused to break out of the mold set by their fathers. Others have struggled continually to break free. I myself have come to terms with many of the qualities my father instilled on me, and have learned to appreciate them. Other fossils from my childhood, I am constantly trying to overcome.
Another reason I find the notion of fatherhood interesting is because Christians believe strongly in the primacy of fatherhood. They use it in numerous illusions to God's nature. Christians see God as the Father of all mankind, and he acts as earthly father's should (only better). There are numerous fables and parables in the Bible alluding to the Father and how the events between man and child echo the relationship between human and creator.
One such story is found in Luke chapter 15, and it is the passage my church covered today. It is the story better known as the "Parable of the Prodigal Son." In this story, a son decides to leave his father's farm, collect his inheritance early, and spend his youth living a worldly life.
The youth quickly exhausts his resources, and wanders about poor. He sinks to the lowest lows, and finds himself too ashamed to return home. When things grow too dire, he swallows his pride, and returns to the family farm. He begs his father to take him on as a hired man (not as a son), but to his surprise the farmer forgives the son, and throws a royal feast to celebrate his return.
Christians love this story, because it fits the "happy ending" theology that plagues the American church. By this I mean there are a lot of Christians who see God as this farmer, who is going to overlook all of our foul deeds, and welcome us to heaven with a banquet. There are aspects of this that agree with Christian theology, do not get me wrong, but there is a large portion of this story that is being overlooked.
The easy aspects of this story stand out: do not live a worldly life because it leads to destruction, and fathers should always forgive, and will always love you if you only swallow your pride and come home. Nice sentiments.
But the hard part of this story, and the part that rarely gets taught, is what happens after the lost son returns. His brother, who had been faithful, loyal, and hard working the entire time, began to feel angry. He did not understand why the best food was being brought forth to reward the prodigal brother for his ignorance. During the entire time, the "good" brother went "unappreciated."
this is the real message of the story. The words of the father echo through the Bible, and haunt those of us who struggle to maintain an even moral keel... those of us who try to stay faithful, and wrestle with our faith daily. To us, and the "good" son, the father has this to say;
"My son, you are always with me, and everything I have is yours. But we had to celebrate and be glad, because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found." (Luke 15:31 NIV)
That is it. That is the comfort and explanation the good son receives. The message is this...
Deal with it. Being faithful is its own reward. If all being moral means to you is a one-time party, then you are as lost as the Prodigal was.
Many of us are prodigals, and totally place our hopes in God pacing back and forth across his throneroom, waiting for us to be found again. Yet others of us are working hard, slaving away at faith and morality with no apparent reward for our labor. And we will get none; that is, if we are looking for the wrong kind of rewards.
Its worthwhile to consider this story, whether you believe in Christ or not. Are you attempting to be moral or are you in thw carefree, worldly phase of your life? If you are in the world, when do you intend on coming back to morality? If you are laboring for morality and truth, what do you assume you are doing it for? If you are hoping for reward, you may be sorely disappointed.
Anyway, it is a longwinded blog already, so I will end it by saying that the words of Christ can be as confusing and perplexing as those of Confucius, Lao-Tzu, and other wise men. In those tough teachings, the ones that seem counter to our hopes and dreams, is truth. Happy Father's Day.
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