Be a Son

From RodneyReynolds.org
I have a friend who is a prison chaplain for the Florida Department of Corrections. He told me that 80% of the men who are incarcerated had no relationship with their fathers. Sad, but not surprising in light of King Solomon’s observation found in Proverbs 29:15 (KJV) “The rod and reproof give wisdom: but a child left to himself bringeth his mother to shame.” How often we have witnessed the destructive aftermath of sons who have no father figure to guide them! I have seen them try ever so valiantly, but moms just cannot be dads. There is no substitute for filling the role and responsibility of being a father to your son.

Everyone that knows me knows that my biological father dropped the ball big time. He failed in his opportunity to be a loving father to my seven siblings and me. He lived to regret the abuse that he perpetrated on his family. Fortunately he received forgiveness from God before he passed away, and a great deal of restoration took place between him and me. Having been able to survive and recover from the dysfunction of my early adolescent years, I’ve come to realize some wonderful spiritual things.

I love reading and listing to my dear friend and fellow minister, Pastor Russell Hylton, teach about father and son relationships. His experience with his father is very different from that of mine and my father. His father is a wonderful Godly man and a personal friend of mine. Pastor Hylton and his father are an excellent example of what the father and son relationship can be when there is love, respect and honor.

I have learned that as a Christian man I cannot make excuses for my actions based on what my father did or didn’t do. I cannot be irresponsible, immature or insensitive toward my family and those within my sphere of influence because of what I experienced in the past. God will give anyone a new start if they will put their complete trust in Christ.

Paul said it like this, “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!” 2 Corinthians 5:17 (NIV). The Lord has helped untold thousands to rise above their circumstances and be free in Jesus name! Anyone can do it; not everyone does. We cannot get up on our own — we must trust the Lord and walk in His ways.

I have found that I can choose to “be a son.” Wow! Even though my father fell way short of setting an example for me to follow, I can be a son. My favorite verse in the scripture is John 1:12 (KJV) “But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name.” Me a son, a son of God? What great news that is to me!

I have also learned that although I’m no spring chicken (having turned 50 last year), I can be a son to a lot of the men in my life. One of the greatest complements I ever received came from a gentleman that served on my church board for a number of years. He has three grown daughters but never had a son. One day in a conversation he said, “I never had a son but if I did, I would want him to be a lot like you.” I got leaky eyes over that one!

Maybe you have longed for a relationship with your dad but he is unavailable, uninterested or no longer living. No one can ever take the place of Dad, but you can find a great deal of fulfillment being a son, even if you’re only related by the Spirit.

I appreciate the people in my life that inspire me to think about great spiritual truths like this. In this case it was someone very special to me — thanks son!