THIRD SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST

View from the Pew

I never grew up with my father, so my mother became my only role model. She was the one who stood beside me, guided me, and poured into my life with unwavering love and strength. She even introduced me to the gentleman’s game of cricket and took me to my first match at Sabina Park, where I had the joy of watching the West Indies team.  Looking back, I see how deeply her sacrifice, resilience, and example helped to shape the man I have become.  In every sense, she played the role of a father.

As I reflect on what Scripture says about fathers and their children, my heart is drawn to the tenderness and responsibility found in passages such as Ephesians 6:4, “And, ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord,” and Colossians 3:21, “Fathers, provoke not your children to anger, lest they be discouraged,” where fathers are called to nurture rather than wound, to encourage rather than discourage.  A father’s role is more than that of a provider; it is also the sacred calling to be present, to protect, to guide, and to love.  Not growing up with my father, I vowed that if the Lord blessed me with children, I would be there for them always.

Psalm 68:5 gently reminds us that God is “A father of the fatherless, and a judge of the widows.” Over the years, I have come to understand that even where there has been absence, God’s love and presence is able to bring healing and to bring peace even where there has been loss.

As we observe Men’s Month, I am reminded that fatherhood is not only a biological role, but a sacred calling to guide, protect, encourage, and love. For those who have been blessed with caring and godly fathers, it is a gift that should never be taken for granted. For those of us who grew up without that presence, there is still hope, healing, and wholeness in God. In Him, we find comfort for what we missed, healing for what we have carried, and strength for the men we are still becoming. “As a father has compassion on his children, so the LORD has compassion on those who fear him.” - Psalm 103:13 (KJV)

Kevin Nightingale

People’s Warden, St. Philip’s Church