The dictionary identifies a father as a man who begets or raises a child. To me, a true father is someone who nurtures a child, whether it is his natural child or not. A father stays with the family when the going gets tough. He changes diapers at two o'clock in the morning, wipes up applesauce at meal time, kisses bruised knees when the little one falls, and checks under the bed at night to scare away the monsters. He loves his family, and they love him.
In Luke 15:11-24, Jesus Christ set forth the traits of a good father.
- A good provider
- A generous spirit
- A deep concern for the welfare of his child
- A forgiving father
- A loving father
In recent years numerous studies have proven that the father's role in the family is just as important as that of the mother. Fathers' Day is the day that is set aside to honor the many fathers who provide the best they can for their families, who are generous, who care deeply for their families, who rejoice in their children, and who express their affection freely.
The United States is one of the few countries in the world that has an official day to honor fathers-the third Sunday in June. No one knows exactly how it began. Some believe it was a church service in West Virginia in 1908. Others say the first celebration was held in Vancouver, Washington. The strongest promoter of the holiday was Mrs. Bruce John Dodd of Spokane, Washington. She believed that she had a special father. He was a veteran of the Civil War; his wife had died, and he had raised six children without their mother. She talked her minister into having a special service to honor the fathers in the church.
In 1916, President Woodrow Wilson approved the official annual Father's Day. Ever since then, on the third Sunday of June, families all over the country honor the fathers in their lives.
