Thing My Daddy Taught Me

Things my Daddy taught me (about God)

Jeremiah 18: 1-6

This past week I have spent some time thinking about growing up and the things that I learned from my Dad.

My daddy taught me some useful things, like knowing when to keep my mouth shut, knowing when to stand up for something that is important, how to tamp a post in so that it would be strong, how to fix my own car, and how to raise a good garden.

Now, all of those things are of some importance in getting along with each other and providing for ones self, but my daddy also taught me some things that were of greater importance. He taught me about God.

First and foremost, he taught me about respect. Actually it was a little deeper than respect. Respect is being polite even when it isn’t required, respect is saying yes sir and no maim, respect is not back-talking your mother, elders, or grand parents.

What my Dad taught me was reverence, a fear of him as well as God. I knew that if I were to show disrespect to my dad that there would be consequences.

He also taught me that I should show my heavenly father reverence and respect and if I show God disrespect that there would be more serious consequences.

You see consequences for poor conduct toward my elders only affects the physical world I live in. But poor conduct toward God is an entirely different matter

God’s word says in Galatians 6:7-8A Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. 8 For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; KJV

If we do not respect and reverence God, then there are eternal consequences. Our very souls are in jeopardy if we miss this.

But God also promises that if we invest in the spiritual then we will reap the spiritual benefits.

Galatians 6:8B-9 …but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting. 9 And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not. KJV

Dad also taught me honesty. I remember a time when we were visiting my uncle in Mississippi, I was about 12 or 13 at the time.

My uncle had a gun rack on the wall in the hallway and I noticed some .22 bullets carelessly spilled around in the bottom of the rack.

Since my uncle and cousin thought so little those bullets, I didn’t think that they would miss a few. When we left and were about 20 miles down the road, I took out my acquisitions and started admiring them.

My dad ask were I had gotten them, when I told him, the car turned around and back to my uncles we went.

I had to tell him what I had done, apologize, and then think about the whipping I was going to get for the next 2 hours as we drove home.

Not a good day for me, but a lesson well learned. God teaches us that we are to be honest and truthful in all our dealings. My dad taught me to be honest to a fault in all that I do and I have lived by that all my Christian life.

God’s word says in Exodus 20:15 Thou shalt not steal. If I didn’t have a good grasp of that commandment before that event, I did by the end of that day.

You see, if we think we can steal and get away with it, then the next thing you know we may think that there could be some sort of loop-hole that will allow us to steal our way into heaven.

It reminds me of the little boy who asked his friend if he thought he would get into heaven. His friend said he knew he would get into heaven because he had a plan.

He said, when I get to the pearly gates I will run in and out and in and out until God says “for heavens sake, get in or out” then I will walk in and stay in.

That may sound like a good plan from a child’s perspective, but it just won’t cut it with God.

My daddy taught me that there are absolutes in this world and the world to come. We live in an age that deals with every form of relativism and infinite shades of gray.

I knew that if I did certain things (things considered outside the realm of approved behavior) that there were absolutes that I would have to deal with.

God’s word teaches us that there are absolutes. Thou shalt not kill, thou shalt not steal, thou shalt not commit adultery, thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbor.