A Strong Man - Part 2

The year was 1988.  It was a cold evening and our family had just finished dinner.  Before we left the table, my Dad announced that he needed to speak to us as a family. I remember glancing at my brother wondering what had Dad found out?  Had he looked behind the poster in the back of our closet to find the target we had painted on the wall for Chinese star throwing practice?  Or had he found out that we had been taking his ax out of the garage in the attempt to chop down a giant tree in the woods near our house......a project that we had been working on for about a month.  It was a seriously huge tree.  My father was not known for random conversation or long speeches so with trepidation my Mom, my brother and I joined him in the living room for what was to be a life changing conversation.

               

As I sat there figuring out how I was going to blame my brother for one of the yet unrevealed transgressions, I heard these words, "Boys, I'm sorry."  Immediately the gears of my mind stopped spinning and I focused fully on my father.  Sorry? That was supposed to be my line!  My dad continued on, "It is my responsibility as your father to make sure we, as a family, are doing the right things.  Recently, I have not done that.  I have let my guard down.  I have let our family participate in things that we normally do not do - things we don't believe in.  Things that have been convictions of your mother's and I since we were married.  Just as important, our new Pastor, Bro. Macey stands against those same things and we must be under the leadership of the Man of God.  I'm sorry I've allowed these things to happen.  Today we will get back to doing the things that we know are right."

Wow!  That was pretty heavy for two boys, 12 and 10 years of age.  In fact, we were a bit disappointed because we had been enjoying the "freedoms" that had been denied us so long.  All of my life we had served the Lord.  It was safe to say that we were very conservative in our walk.  Just ask my cousins who came to stay with us from time to time...always having to pray before they ate, go to church 3 times a week and no TV to watch!  It was more like boot camp for them.  But an overwhelming relief came upon me as I lay in bed that night.  Our ship was back on course.  Sure, I would miss some of those things we had experienced for a while, but things in our family were again as they should be.  As young as I was, I knew how we believed and how we should live.  I knew that our convictions were valuable and sacred.  And I knew that following the direction of your Pastor was even more so.  My Dad had taught me that all my life but that night, he proved it to me.

I called my father recently and asked him if he remembered that night and he said that he did.  As I tried to explain how much it meant to me, his courage and his love for us,  I choked up and could barely talk.  I told him that so many times in my single life, in my marriage, with my children and on the job, I had come to the realization that I had ventured down the wrong path.  Each time I have thought of that night 25 years ago, I followed exactly in his footsteps.  He taught me that a strong man will say he's sorry and correct the course immediately.  He is willing to show weakness and will expose mistakes, even his own, in order to make those around him stronger, to strengthen them against the times to come.  A strong man influences others, so that his values become their values. 

The values and principles that my father stood for long ago are the same values I love and hold dear today.  They are the same values my wife and I teach to my daughters daily and will teach to my infant son who sleeps in my lap as I type.

Thank you Dad for loving our family. Thank you for being a strong man.

Click here to read "A Strong Man - Part 1"

www.royalwood.cc

PJ Dial is a husband, father and servant of Christ. He grew up in Royalwood and is involved in several aspects of ministry including Praise & Worship, Anthem Student Ministries and currently serves on Royalwood's Board.