Allow me to share my experience as I chatted with two fathers about their children.
The first father was visibly distressed about his child’s poor performance at school. I could actually see the pain on his face as he asked me to have a word with her. He shared that her grades had been steadily dropping since she joined high school. And the rate at which she was going, she was almost certainly going to fail her final year exams.
The second father has a slightly older daughter. She completed her bachelor’s degree about four years ago and she has had trouble securing a job in her field of study. This father was sharing his plans for his daughter’s further education, and he was in despair because he did not have as much money as was required for a master’s program. I could hear the anguish in his voice when he shared this.
As I’ve reflected on these two conversations, I have come to a new realisation about fathers. I reckon fathers are some of the most uncelebrated, unacknowledged people in our society. This is a new appreciation for me because I have seen firsthand the pain fathers have caused to many children (me included). But these two fathers, and my own dad (story for another day) have shown me up close that fathers are often misunderstood, and that they have a deep love for their children; even when they are unexpressive.
Through these two fathers, I also have a fresh awareness of what our Father in heaven’s heart is towards us. Like the two fathers, our Father in heaven cares immensely about our wellbeing. He wants what is best for us and is grieved when we either go astray or do not experience His good plans for us. Through these two fathers, I can clearly see what the psalmist meant when He wrote,
As a father has compassion on his children, so the Lord has compassion on those who fear Him; for He knows how we are formed, He remembers that we are dust.
Psalm 103:13–14 NIV
So, take a moment to join me in thanking God for being our perfect Father in heaven, and asking Him to give society a new appreciation for fathers.