I am my father’s son. Because I am my father’s son, I carry
his name. Because I carry his name, all that I do, all the choices I make, how
I interact with the world around me reflect on him, for better or worse.
Through my conduct and the life I choose to live, I can bring honor to my
father’s name, or bring dishonor to it.
We are inexorably linked and will be so forever. Men will
always associate me with my father, and as I’ve overheard regarding others on
various occasions, they’ll either say he raised a good one, or lament that for
some reason one particular apple fell far from the tree. I love my father; therefore,
I comport myself in such a manner as to brighten his heart and bring a smile to
his face.
Because he is my father, not only do I carry his name, I have
taken on certain features, mannerisms, quirks, and inclinations exclusive to
him. It’s not because I tried to pattern myself after my father, or mimic what
he does; it is because the nature of who he is has been transferred down to me
through DNA.
I noticed this more clearly while my dad was visiting because
I could see myself in him at the oddest moments. The way he would wave his hand
when trying to make a point, the way he arches his eyebrows when he disapproves
of something, little things, but noticeable once you start to look.
At one point, while we were sitting down to dinner, I noticed
my wife looking at me, then at my dad, then back at me again, and when she
noticed me noticing she shrugged her shoulders and said, “at least I know what
you’ll look like when you get old.”
Not only do I call him my father, but he also acknowledges me
as his son. If my father needs me, I will prioritize him over all else, and if
I need him, I know he will show me the same deference. I know without a shadow
of doubt that if ever I need anything if it is within his power or ability, my
father will do it.
He is always welcome into my home, and I am always welcome in
his. There need be no protocol, special invitation, or appointment. We know,
reciprocally so, that the door is always open and if we need to talk, or spend
some time together we do it.
As a son or daughter of God our relationship with Him is no
different. Not only do we carry His name upon becoming heirs of the promise, but
we also take on His nature. We are transformed from within, and without.
We become mindful that our conduct and interactions with
those around us reflect on Him, and we are quick to flee the appearance of evil,
never mind evil itself. Whenever we find ourselves at a crossroads or wonder if
something is acceptable, the only question we need ask is whether or not He
would approve. Would we be in that place, would we say those words, would we
pursue those pleasures, if He were standing beside us.
There are innumerable benefits to being a son or daughter of
God, but there are also responsibilities that come along with it. Most folks
nowadays want to boast that their Father owns the cattle on a thousand hills,
but fewer than ever before want to pursue holiness and righteousness to become
more like their Father.
With love in Christ,
Michael Boldea Jr.
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