This throw-back image is a little cringey for some of us, even though I loved the reruns. The adoring wife and kids gazing up at the affable, distinguished dad may be alien or even painful. That’s part of the problem with our expectations of dads, patriarchal systems, and to a degree, men in general. We idolize (rather than honor) mere humans, which is a bad idea. Whenever we idolize anyone, we saddle them with heavy loads and more power than anyone should have. Human idols can tarnish and break. Thankfully, God is not a man.
My own dad was a brilliant, charming, warm man, with a troubled history he soothed with alcohol, and all its related ill-effects, turbulent and scary. Though my beloved dad did the best he could, my childhood wasn’t safe and secure. I projected my dad’s traits onto God, something I had to unlearn and still battle. We can all do that and it can really distort our perceptions of God.
God consistently describes Himself as Father in Scripture (and sometimes as a mom, btw) and I’ve found it extraordinarily helpful to intentionally think of Him that way. What makes a great dad? Here’s my partial list. A perfect Papa is:
• Unconditionally loving
• Always there for me
• Protective and safe
• Wise and practical
• Trustworthy and reliable
• An attentive listener
• Fair and just
• A generous, consistent provider
• Rejoices in my success
• Kind, caring, helpful
• Knows, nurtures and supports me to fulfill my potential
• Fun, funny and full of thoughtful surprises
I could go on and on. I’ll bet you could, too. I confess it’s been difficult at times to reconcile real-life with this image of God as the perfect Father. In my honest seeking, and first-hand experience as a parent, I understand that a perfect Papa also:
• Equips and empowers me with choices, aka free will
• Pushes me to overcome my weakness and face my fears so I become all I can be
• Disciplines me to maximize my safety and success everywhere
• Eventually, even though it pains him, allows me to experience the full negative consequences of my choices so I course correct before it’s too late
• Is pained and angered by my destructive choices, because of the harm they cause me and others…
YET, he passionately longs for me to come to my senses and return to him for love, shelter, healing, and restoration.
Of course, if like the Prodigal Son, we flee Dad’s loving protection, provision, and guidance, we may find ourselves eating pig slop and struggling like the proverbial son did.
GOOD NEWS!
If we re/turn toward home, humbled and humiliated by the (minor or major) mess we’ve made, our gracious Father races to meet us, teary-eyed and thrilled at our return. He lavishes us with love, blessing, and acceptance, fattening us with a fattened calf.
The Perfect Papa to prodigals and big brothers alike.
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