Fathers

It seems that the word of the week for me lately is Father. First, I found a song by Michael Mclean that I'm working with. It turns out I might have a singing voice. I discovered Mclean's song "I am not his father" - a beautiful and touching song - and it turns out I can sing it. It's a gorgeous song about our Father. I've been mulling how I can use the concepts this song brings out when I speak at my own father's funeral. He's 91 and definitely looking forward to his own passing, and I will celebrate with him when our Father finally calls him home.

And this morning I bump along in Moses Chapter 7, and the verse that stands out to me is 37.  "But behold, their sins shall be upon the heads of their fathers; Satan shall be their father, and misery shall be their doom; and the whole heavens shall weep over them, even all the workmanship of mine hands; wherefore should not the heavens weep, seeing these shall suffer?"

I think this verse applies to those who willfully chose against the truths they knew, and chose to defy the Lord and their own happiness in favor of what there short-term, willful wants were. These individuals not only curse themselves forever, but their children and grandchildren. It happened in the beginning of time, and it happens now. People that get mad because someone was mean to their child, because someone stole the cream, or because a leader proved his imperfectness in public. Maybe it's because someone misused a paragraph. I guess it doesn't matter what the "reason" is - what matters is that we let our own selfishness, spurred by anger, to get in the way of our path toward happiness and eternity.

So, a person drops away from the iron rod - the word of God. He begins to follow what he considers to be his own path - or the path that Satan places him on. He loses his center, his happiness, his direction and his future. Then, his children follow suit.

While it is true that we are all responsible for our own decisions, it's also true that we only get judged for how we play the cards we're dealt. For example, a child in Mozambique, who will never see missionaries or even a member of the lord's church will not be held responsible for not being baptized, obeying all of the commandments, or not receiving temple blessings. They were not available to him. He'll be held responsible for the truths his parents gave him. And on the same note, the parents will be held responsible for the truths they know. Their responsibility is to live them, to expand on them, and to pass them on to their children.

So I believe that when the parents cause a whole community - generations after generations - of their family to flounder, it is the parents who will some day be held responsible. This goes me back to the verse above "But behold, their sins shall be upon the heads of their fathers".

Can you imagine how much dark poison will be heaped upon Cane for what he caused his progeny to suffer? And how much different is it for us as we choose improperly?

I guess the saving grace is Grace. Christ has paid the price. Cane's progeny suffered in life because of Cane's choices - but that's on Cane. If their hearts are pure, as judged by the only perfect judge, they can be saved.

I remember my parents telling me that. My mom especially because I interacted with her the most. She told me that it was her job to teach me, so that she wouldn't be held responsible for holding me back from happiness. She did teach me. My father as well. While certainly not perfect, they did as well as they could do - they played the cards they were dealt as well as they could. I'm grateful for them and I honor them.

If the word of the week is Fathers, I'm hopeful for my dad that his time has come. In any case, may we look at our roles and evaluate if we are ready to stand before the great Judge, and report on our role as fathers and leaders. And may our Father judge us with love.