“Children’s children are the crown of old men; and the
glory of children are their fathers”
Proverbs 17:6
As I think of my father today on his birthday, my mind goes
to a snippet of my memory when, as a boy, I remember noticing his shadow on the
ground. I remember noticing how long his shadow was and how that when I stepped
into it, I disappeared. Today that memory makes me think of that shadow as a
pattern, a model. Yes, a shadow isn’t the same as the real person; it is only a
representation. Shadows easily hide the frailties and the blemishes of the real
person. However, it depicts what the real person is like and gives us a
starting point; a reference if you will.
More importantly, the shadow tells me the real person is there.
Then there is the spiritual representation in the shadow. As
I think of my dad, these thoughts fit in his influence on me:
First, it speaks to me of the importance of walking in the
light. One cannot possess a shadow if he is not near the light. Jesus is the
Light of the world. I am thankful to know that my dad’s influence on me was
based on his close relationship with Christ.
Secondly, in order for his shadow to be accessible to me, he
had to be near me. Influence comes from the same root word as influenza.
You catch influenza or the flu by being close to someone who has it. I am
grateful for so many memories of my dad (and mom) BEING THERE. One of the
greatest things I am thankful for is going to church as a family. I am so
thankful for being brought up in church. I laugh at people when they say, “I
used to go to church when I was a kid.” As if to say that now that they are
grown up, they don’t need it. What a joke! No one ever outgrows going to church
– no one ever outgrows the Bible! What an absurd concept! The truth is, it is a
Godless concept. So I’m thankful for the spiritual guidance of my dad (of
course my mom also)! And even though we are now separated geographically, his shadow still touches me!
So this year on my dad's birthday I center on the gratitude for a father
who knew the importance of his shadow – physically, emotionally, and most of all
spiritually! Dad, your shadow
(influence) has impacted what I will do and what I will not do, what I say and
what I won’t say, where I go and where I won’t go, and basically, who I am –
especially who I am for the glory of God.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY DAD! And thanks for the shadow!
Love you!
