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My Father, My Hero!
"Anyone can be a father, it takes a special
person to be a daddy." says the little magnet on my fridge… There’s
just something so special about a daddy!
The Lord brings many people into our lives but
there are very few who leave an indelible mark in the hearts of people
they come across. They quietly play their role, without much publicity
and never wait for any acknowledgement. They never realize they are
impacting lives, for it is their lifestyle! We will always remember
them and cherish their memories.
My dad, was such a man. He impacted the lives of so
many around him, both young and old. The ability he had to love,
understand and help people was truly unmatched. His support and
encouragement had made all the differences. My dad went to be with the
Lord on June 14th, 2003 and the funeral service was on the 15th
of June which happened to be the ‘Father’s day that year. What a
fitting send off to a life so well lived! But his legacy lives on… My
sisters and I thank the Lord for his life and have seen how a life
turned over into the hands of God can become a vessel of honor.
Here are some tributes from my sisters and me as a
small way of honoring him
"My daddy never gave upon me. He is my hero. He
believed in me and was proud of me…’’
‘’My dad was tender hearted. Nevertheless, he was a
man of great courage and immense faith……..loving, caring father, and
the example of a life lived in service to Christ’’
"What strikes me most about my father is that he
was able to come down to my level and interact with me…’’
"My daddy was always a model of honesty to me. He
said what he thought. His integrity was central to his character. I
really admire him’’.
"He showed me through his example how a loving
husband and father should act. But most of all, he taught me to love
and obey God. He taught me that not only with words, but also with his
life everyday!"
"My Dad was not perfect; but at his core, he
embodied the very essence of what it means to be a person of
character"
What does it take to be such a special ‘daddy’?
It is hard enough to be a good father in today’s
society. It is even more difficult to be a Christian father. Even
though it is hard to do, facing the things the world throws at us, it
is not impossible. The Christian father is really an instrument in
God’s hand to bring out the best in his children. Being a Christian
father flows from the love of God. This love is founded on a
relationship with Christ Jesus.
My father—the spiritual head of our home.
Fathers have a wonderful opportunity to encourage,
to warn, to teach, to counsel and to model the Christian life for
their children. The most important job for fathers is to teach their
children to always love and obey God (Deuteronomy 6; 6-9)
God desires that our children should be nurtured by
fathers who love the Lord.
My father—my role model
Fathers ought to lead by example. Children whether
you realize it or not, observe your daily behavior. Before we expect
Godly behavior from our children we have to set an example ourself. (2
Kings 14:3)
A man and his young son were climbing a mountain.
They came to a place where the climbing was difficult and even
dangerous. The father stopped to consider which way he should go. He
heard the boy behind him say, "Choose the good path, Dad; I’m coming
right behind you!"
My father - a living legacy!
The Bible says in Romans 20:7, the righteous man
lives a blameless life. His children will be blessed after him.
Children can only live out and give out what
they’ve received. If you raise them with indifference, don’t be
surprised if they grow up to be that way. Same goes for ridicule,
criticism, slander, hatred, joy, encouragement, singing, fighting or
violence.
Legacies are a way of giving thanks to God.
Thanking God for what he has done by leaving a legacy, you are being a
good steward of what God has given.
John Maxwell says," Reputation is what people think
of us now; legacy is what they think of us long after we are gone!" A
legacy is not wiped out by this generation but follows other
generations to come. What will your descendants remember about you?
What will the world at large remember? What will be your legacy?
As it has been said, "Children will not remember
you for the material things you provided, but for the fact that you
cherished them"
‘What we leave in our children is more important
than what we leave for them’
God gives us the miracle of having children. Do not
waste this gift by rushing through life on things of less importance.
Mrs. Kamala Benjamin
serves in the UIM Board and also ministers along with her husband
Rev.C.A Benjamin for many UIM Family and Marriage seminars. Her father
Rev. G.S.Mohan had left a Godly legacy which is so cherished both by
his children and his grandchildren | 
