MY EXAMPLE OF FATHER-HOOD: BY WENDELL INGRAM

 MY EXAMPLE OF FATHERHOOD

By Wendell Ingram

One of the greatest blessings a young man can have while growing up is a father who is living out the biblical principles of Christianity and fatherhood in his daily life. I had just such a blessing growing up and I would like to share a small part of that blessing with you. My dad obeyed the gospel when I was less than a year old and from my earliest memories I have watched him putting God first in his life. In all my years growing up I never saw my dad intentionally miss an assembly of the church. Dad had a number of jobs through the years and he always informed his employers that he was a Christian and attended church on Sundays and Wednesday evenings and would not be working at those times. I’ve seen him turn down a number of good paying jobs because they would interfere with his commitment to Christ. He takes Christ’s promise in  Matt. 6:33  at face value and I’ve  never seen him compromise.

Dad learned the concept of responsibility early. He entered the workforce full time at age 14 when his dad was disabled by a stroke. Dad (one of eleven siblings—seven still at home at the time) quit school in the eighth grade and went to work full time to help support his family.  My dad had a phenomenal work ethic (Col. 3:23). All the time I was growing up my dad had from three to five jobs. Dad was a barber, drove a school bus and sold insurance. But he also served for years as city clerk, worked for the water department, worked as a relief mail carrier as well as various temporary jobs. With so many jobs one might think he had no time for his family, but the truth is, Dad’s schedule brought him home several times throughout the day. Dad’s schedule was flexible enough that he rarely missed my ballgames and other school activities. He had time to take me hunting and fishing and even coach my little league baseball team.

My dad is a wonderful example as a husband. He is a shameless romantic and has written my mom a number of love songs. He loves to whittle and is always making her little trinkets to wear to show his affection. Dad spoils my mom and she will be the first to admit it, but I have never seen a more content and happily married couple (Eph. 5:25-28).  

All my life I watched my dad make sacrifices to help others (Gal. 6:2). I saw him stay up all night (during the work week) with a brother in Christ who was an alcoholic trying to help him through withdrawals. I’ve seen him on numerous occasions close his barber shop to go and help someone in need. He and mom have opened their home on numerous occasions to friends and family members who were having problems, giving them a place to live. For years Dad and Mom made several trips a year to Bole’s Children’s Home south of Greenville, TX, to bring children from the home to stay with our family on holidays and summer vacations (James 1:27). Some of those children (now grown with children and grandchildren of their own) still consider us their family.

I grew up in a small church that had no youth minister, but this was not a problem because my parents made the youth of the congregation their ministry. They hosted youth gatherings in our home and took the young people to youth rallies and gospel meetings. They took our youth bowling, skating  and  for  pizza  outings  and  much  of  the  time  Dad  furnished the money for those who could not afford it .

Through the years Dad and Mom were instrumental in bringing many young people in our community to Bible classes and the assemblies. A number of those young people obeyed the gospel and are still faithfully serving the Lord as adults. My dad has served as one of the song leaders for our home congregation for more than sixty years. For several years he has suffered with COPD and the last three years he has suffered the chronic pain resulting from shingles, yet he continues to lead singing and has not allowed these challenges to interfere with his attendance to the assemblies or his service to the Lord (I Cor. 15:58).

I watched my dad take off work for several weeks to care for my sister during her illness that ultimately led to her death. I watched as he and mom suffered the grief of the loss of their daughter and they endured the pain with the grace and peace that can only come from a secure and enduring faith in God (Php. 4:4-7).   

I watched my dad for years as he cheerfully and respectfully cared for his aging mother and father (I Tim. 5:4) and never heard him complain or imply that it was a burden. My grandma lived almost thirty years after my grandpa passed away and dad made sure she was cared for properly, even going to her house every morning for years and cooking her breakfast to make sure she was eating properly. He and mom (along with other family members) stayed with my grandma and arranged for someone to be with her at all times when she could no longer live alone so she would not have to go to a nursing home.

My dad continues to be a powerful and positive influence, not only to me, but to my children and to my grandchildren as well. He has demonstrated for my son and my grandsons the kind of man they should aspire to be. He has demonstrated for my daughters and granddaughters the kind of man they should look for as they seek a husband. 

The principles of godly fatherhood are clearly set forth in Scripture for every man to read and follow. But it is a double blessing to be able to study these principles in Scripture while observing them being lived out in the life of one’s own father. My prayer is that all Christian fathers would be diligent in living these biblical principles out before their children and grandchildren. It is the greatest gift a man can give to his posterity.   -Wendell Ingram