A Historical Perspective for Father’s Day
What do you think of when you hear the word, “Hero?” I’ll admit, my family loves superhero movies, so that’s where my brain goes first. But we have a lot of other people who we can look up to as heroes.
There are stars in all kinds of sports. Emergency first responders are heroic in a lot of ways. Our military personnel go to great lengths to protect us. But who does the Bible suggest as heroes and role models?
Hebrews 11 has a long list of great men of faith, including Noah, Abraham, and Moses. The list ends with Hebrews 12:1: “Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses… let us run with perseverance.”
Those heroes of the faith are a great cloud of witnesses to encourage us. And there have been other Christian heroes down through the ages.
Ashley Down, Bristol, 1800s
Orphans, 1885, Thomas Benjamin Kennington
George Müller was one. He saw abandoned orphans roaming England’s streets. He and his wife personally adopted dozens before they built a whole orphanage. Eventually over a thousand kids lived there.
The most famous story he told was of a day when the kids came for breakfast, but there was no food in the kitchen and no money to buy more. He told them, “Let’s give thanks for the food that God is going to provide for us.” As soon as they finished praying, there was a knock at the door. Outside stood a baker.
He said, “Mr. Müller, somehow I felt the Lord tell me you needed food. So I got up at 2 am to bake bread, and here it is.” No sooner had he left than there was a second knock.
A milk cart had broken down in front of the orphanage. The milkman needed to empty his cart to repair it, so would the children mind drinking the milk?
That’s just one of many stories that can encourage our faith. For our next example, I want to dig even deeper into history.
California, 1769
In my state, kids in the fourth grade learn about the California Missions. That’s how school kids know the name of Father Junípero Serra, a Catholic missionary.
A long time before Father Serra came to California, he was a college professor in Spain. He decided to leave his cushy job to come to the New World as a missionary to the native people groups. He started out in New Spain – today’s Mexico.
Soon he was put in charge of the missions in Baja California. At the same time, the Spanish government was planning to explore upper California. They had claimed the land when Sebastián Vizcaíno sailed up the coast to Monterey in 1602. Then they promptly ignored it for over a century. But in 1769, Russian traders were moving down the Pacific coast, and Spain wanted to claim the land for real.
Drawing by AB Dodge, The Missions and Missionaries of California vol. 2, p. 8, Engelhardt, 1912, colorized.
Now, the government’s plans held little interest to Serra and his team of missionaries. But they did see an opportunity. They joined the expedition with a different goal – to reach brand new people groups for Christ.
Schools teach about how terrible that was for the California natives. Believe me, when the military is involved, you’re not going to hear a gentle gospel. But the missionaries were truly concerned for the people they came to serve. I think one of Serra’s partners said it best. (In Spanish, of course.)
“Ever since I read about the voyage of Sebastián Vizcaíno, the desire for the conversion of the Indians of Monterey seized me so firmly that I would gladly offer my own life for the sake of even one of these poor souls to be redeemed by the Savior’s Precious Blood.”
Father Serra did offer the rest of his life for that cause. The missionaries were paid only in groceries, and it was many years before the mission farms produced enough food. Yet he stayed and served, and planted the first nine of 21 missions. He walked the 500 miles between them several times, in spite of a chronically sore foot.
United States, 1947-2005
Speaking of Christian heroes, Father Serra “only” touched thousands of lives. Billy Graham reached millions. In 58 years, he held over 400 revival meetings. My own family’s legacy of faith started at his fourth meeting in 1948, where my mother learned about Jesus.
Years later, she married my dad, and they became heroes of the faith to my brother and me. And with Mother’s Day just last month and Father’s Day coming up, I think it’s worth honoring the Christian heroes in all of our lives.
Not that Moms and Dads can leap over buildings in a single bound. Shoot, some days it takes a superhero just to get everyone up and out the door on time.
But God gives Mom and Dad a really big job to do. Deuteronomy 11:18-21 says, “Take these words of mine to heart … Teach them to your children, and talk about them when you’re at home or away, when you lie down or get up” (NIV).
Of course, kids don’t get entirely off the hook. We have a responsibility to listen and apply God’s truth, no matter how old we are: “My child, learn what I teach you and never forget what I tell you to do. Listen to what is wise and try to understand it” (Proverbs 2:1-2 GNT).
And just to be clear, this is not for your parents’ benefit. This is for you: “My son, do not forget my teaching, but keep my commands in your heart, for they will prolong your life many years and bring you peace and prosperity” (Proverbs 3:1-2 NIV). That promise is repeated in both the Old and New Testaments.
The Apostle Paul put it this way: “ ‘Respect your father and mother’ is the first commandment that has a promise added: ‘so that all may go well with you, and you may live a long time in the land’ ” (Ephesians 6:1-3 GNT). In other words, that’s how to live long and prosper!
As we have seen, one doesn’t need to go looking very far for heroes. And with Father’s Day coming up, I’d like to take this chance to say thank you to my dad, to my kids’ dad, and to all dads making a difference in their children’s lives. We appreciate you!
*Note: This is the “children’s moment” talk I created for Father’s Day, 2017. If you would like to borrow it for your own celebration, feel free to tweak and illustrate accordingly. Download the pdf on this page, and visit The Novel Historian’s Facebook page if you’d like suggestions.
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