THE POWER OF A FATHER

I don't really know of anything I can say about this morning's men's group to do it justice. When you have such a powerful move of God's Spirit as we had this morning, it makes it hard to distill it down into something you can write into words. Actually, words are inadequate to describe what happened this morning. We picked up where we left off last Sunday, discussing our favorite passage from Wes Yoder's book “Bond of Brothers.” It didn't take long for us to discover the power of our fathers and the ability for them to shape our lives. What became even more apparent, was the affect upon a person's life when there wasn't a father in their childhood, or even worse, a poor attempt at a father.

I'm not belittling or negating the roll of a mother, but in the life of a man, a father is crucial. We saw that in what was shared this morning. These men are determined to create spiritual legacies that will last. I can't think of a greater group of men to do it. These men are bound and determined to be spiritual fathers, leaders, and men of valor. For me, it is like standing amongst some of the most noble men you can imagine. It is like standing among the great Knights of old. Our Pastor summed it up best when he praised the men who've been coming, by quoting the proverb that one man sharpens another as iron sharpens iron. I know it's a worn out saying, but it is still true none the less. When men are left to themselves, there is no amount of perversion or evil that we can think of. We will become dull and rust (corruption.) Even Christian men can succumb to the power of the flesh, if they allow themselves to be cut off from a strong support group. I'm not talking about just one or two close friends, but a group of men bent to one purpose, one desire, one goal, ONE GOD. We are seeing that power unleashed in a sincere desire to imitate Christ. One man, alone, can excuse himself, but among a group of men there may be forgiveness, but there will also be reproof. Amongst one another, there is a deeper truth that must be embraced, we must stand together against our own depravity. The bond of brothers keeps us from peeling away from the gospel like plies of wood in a water logged piece of plywood. If you believe that you and Jesus have your own thing going, you have made the first (or maybe even the last) step toward depravity. I've seen it too many times. When you cut yourself off from the brethren, you cut yourself off from any means of mirroring yourself.

So much of what was said this morning was extremely personal and private. I felt a deep sense of privilege at being admitted into the inner sanctum of men's hearts. What did I learn? I'm not alone. Each man has experienced many of the same feelings I've experienced when it comes to their fathers. Even more, I discovered that there was a hunger to know or to have known their fathers better. There is an aching in the soul of a man to be knitted to that of his father. A desire to ask the questions that go to places few men feel comfortable to go. “Am I a good man?” “Do I make you proud?” “Do you love me even when I fail?”

These are the questions only a father can answer. When a mother answers those questions, all men know the answer will be an unconditional 'yes.' When a father answers those questions, we hold our breath and know that the answer will not be unconditional, but it will be the truth. A father will do anything for his son, but lie to him, even for the sake of love. Maybe that is where the wall of silence has it's foundation. All men know that we hold the power to build up or tear down with our words. The culture of avoidance is born in shame, but that doesn't mean it has to go one more generation. It can end here and now. All men want to know the truth, even if it hurts. We can be the generation that lives the truth.