Scripture Sunday: Family Resemblance

Best Buds: My Dad and Monkey

When I was in college I worked as a front desk clerk at a hotel. Inside the hotel we had a restaurant that was popular with both locals and our hotel guests. One evening when I was working, a man came through to pay his restaurant bill. He looked at me for a while and then asked, “Are you related to XXXXX (my dad)?” I said, “Yes, I’m his daughter! How did you know?” He replied, “Well, I played baseball with your dad back in high school, but I haven’t seen him in probably 20 years. You look just like him.”

And it’s true. I do look like my dad. He definitely can’t deny that I’m his daughter, and I definitely can’t deny that he’s my father (even though at times we probably both wanted to!). We’ve all seen siblings and family members with a strong family resemblance. Maybe it’s the way their nose looks, or their hair color, or even the way that they walk. Genetics is sometimes a difficult thing to disguise.

With today being Father’s Day, I thought it would be appropriate to stop for a minute to think about the spiritual application of “genetics.” Just like I look like my father and Chipette looks like Preacher Man, Christians should look like their Heavenly Father:

“As obedient children, do not be conformed to the passions of your former ignorance, but as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, since it is written, ‘You shall be holy, for I am holy.” (1 Peter 1:14-16)

“You therefore must be perfect, as your Heavenly Father is perfect.” (Matthew 5:48)

“Being holy” and “being perfect” means that we should be like our Father. We should value what He values, we should love like He loves, we should be full of grace and mercy like He is graceful and merciful.

“Do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers: for what partnership has righteousness with lawlessness? Or what fellowship has light with darkness?” (2 Corinthians 6:14)

Or do we look more like people who are not the Father’s children. Do we value what they value? Do we enjoy what they enjoy? Do we speak like they speak?

When someone sees us it should be immediately apparent whose child we are. The “genetics” of God should be clearly visible in all that we do, all that we say, and all that we think. If someone acts shocked to find out that you claim to be a Christian, then that is not good. It means that you have let so much of the filth and dirt of the world rub off on you that your true resemblance of your Father is being taken away.

After people have been around us for a while, they should say, “I recognize that you are a follower of Jesus and a child of God.”

This Father’s Day and every day make it impossible for people to deny that you are your Father’s child.

Thankful for my father, both earthly and heavenly, today in the tree house,

Chelli