DADDY'S LOVE, IN THE FORM OF DISCIPLINE

June 20       Daddy’s Love, In the Form of Discipline                    Proverbs 3:11-12

Good morning from Pastor Glen Brock, Baptist Tabernacle Church, Wendell, North Carolina… “My son, do not despise the Lord's discipline or be weary of his reproof, for the Lord reproves him whom he loves, as a father the son in whom he delights.”  (Proverbs 3:11-12)

There are so many lessons of life that my Daddy taught to me.  Most of the time, especially, when I was older, he taught with “parables” and he employed subtle tactics that required me to think about my mistakes.  Honestly, there were times when I would have preferred an “Old Fashion Beating!”  Growing up in the church, there were certain behaviors that were acceptable and those that were not!  This particular Sunday, I begged Mama to let me sit with the fellows, on the back row, during the worship service.  The service began and so did we!  You know how it is when you get “tickled” and you are trying to control your laughter and how difficult it is to be quiet when you are being “egged on” by the fellows.  It became obvious that we were disturbing the congregation, and I could feel the eyes of my Mother as she was giving me the “Look!”  No way was I going to make eye contact with her.  During this uneasy time, I had forgotten about Daddy.  You see, he was preaching and I had not even thought about his possible role in this affair.  I was concentrating on the “killin” that was going to happen when we got home.  Oh well, so much for that.  Things were about to get much worse.  Now, there were some unwritten rules that applied to Preacher’s kids, and making noise and acting disrespectful during the worship service was at the top of this list.  Thinking that I had escaped the present adult challenge and was going to deal with the parental wrath, when we got home, again, I had forgotten about Daddy!  Oh no!  There was a change in the atmosphere of the room, and I noticed that Daddy was still preaching, however, he was not behind the pulpit.  Daddy had come off of the podium and was headed down the aisle, and he was coming for me!  Amazingly, he never stopped preaching.  He came to the pew where I was seated and he grabbed me by the arm and pulled me into the aisle and placed his “Daddy” hand on my behind, several times, then sat me down and went back up the aisle and climbed back on the podium and never missed a preaching beat! This was the moment that I wanted to have the floor open and I would have gladly jumped in the hole.  I was shocked and embarrassed and was at a loss as to what to do next!  Guess what?  That’s right!  Me, and the “fellows” were graveyard silent.  The service ended and folks were streaming out of the sanctuary and every one came past me with a smirky smile of approval of Daddy’s actions.  It was a silent ride home, yet, I knew that the “shoe would drop” at some point.  Lunch was a continuation of the awkward silence, and then it happened!  “Son, I apologize for the way that I corrected you.  I wasn’t thinking about the embarrassment for you, I was only thinking about changing your behavior!  Since you wouldn’t look at your Mother, you left me no other option!”  Folks, I could go on and on about this man that I call Daddy, yet, the message for the ages is found in his actions and his responsibility to provide sound instruction and direction.  As painful as it was, I am grateful that Daddy loved me enough to actually care about my behaviors and concerned about my future actions as an adult, with children of my own.  Proverbs 22:6 tells the truth:  “Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it.”  Daddy has made his journey to Heaven and the legacy of his love continues in all that I do.  I am grateful for an earthly Father that loved and cared for me and I am grateful that he introduced me to our Heavenly Father that Loves and cares for me enough to send Jesus to save my soul and bless my very existence.  Father’s Day 2021, like every Father’s Day, THANK YOU DADDY FOR LOVING ME ENOUGH TO CORRECT ME AND TO TEACH ME RIGHT FROM WRONG!!  Stay Strong, Stay Focused…THE BEST IS YET TO BE!