Derek Smith
Lead Pastor
1 Corinthians 4:15
For though you have countless guides in Christ, you do not have many fathers. For I became your father in Christ Jesus through the gospel.
There was a rebellious young man who was to be sentenced to prison. The judge knew him from childhood, for he was well acquainted with his father–a famous legal scholar and the author of an exhaustive study entitled, “The Law of Trusts.” “Do you remember your father?” asked the magistrate. “I remember him well, your honor,” came the reply. Then trying to probe the offender’s conscience, the judge said, “As you are about to be sentenced and as you think of your wonderful dad, what do you remember most clearly about him?” There was a pause. Then the judge received an answer he had not expected. “I remember when I went to him for advice. He looked up at me from the book he was writing and said, ‘Not now son; I’m busy!’ When I begged for his attention, he turned me away, saying “Run along, son; this book must be finished!’ Your honor, you remember him as a great lawyer. I remember him as a lost friend.” The judge then said out loud to himself, “Tragic. Finished the book, but lost the boy.”
Fatherhood is incredibly important. Our children need more than just our money and authority, they need our love and attention. Fathers and mothers are the ones who are first called to disciple their children and to train them up in the grace and admonition of the Lord. The greatest legacy we can leave with our children is the legacy of devotion to Christ and His Church. Dad, the golf course can wait. That hunting trip with your friends can be postponed. The endless hours at work can be trimmed a little bit. There is one thing you can’t stop: time. You’ll never get back all the hours you wasted away from your children in their formative years. Our children are growing up before our eyes and the thing that will matter most is the difference we make in their lives for Christ the love we show them along the way. Sadly, there are not many committed fathers in today’s world. Let’s change the narrative. Let’s be fathers in Christ through the gospel.