By: Brett Mathiowetz (Region 8 Coordinator; Riverbend TEC)
It’s the middle of June, and where I live in Minnesota, it’s been extremely dry. So dry, in fact, that being in construction feels more like we are in July or August than June. It’s a strange year. Not only that, but we have been facing a whole new set of challenges in our everyday life. From COVID-19 to civil rights protests, we are seeing things on a scale that most of us have very little (if any) applicable experience. The emotional roller coaster has been real, and it has brought me to a place of reflection. As we celebrate Father’s Day, I find myself thinking about the main things that make me a father: my three daughters!
When I think about the life experiences we have shared, it brings me to an empathetic place. I remember what it was like growing up. Every new experience often felt like I wasn’t sure what to do, or maybe I was lost or confused, and needed someone to help me find a path forward. My daughters often look to my wife and I to give them this guidance. As they grow older, they still ask us, but maybe not as much as before… so we need to make sure to do our due diligence in teaching them about a guide that is with us everywhere we go: God. Especially in these trying times, we have been working with our daughters to hold people or situations in prayer. We often tell them that we need to trust in God’s plan for each of us, and do our best to listen to what he is calling us to do. During one of our family Sunday School lessons, we had a breakthrough.
My wife and I decided to do a lesson on selflessness. We started in the most obvious place: what does it mean to be selfish? We read this definition: to be concerned excessively or exclusively with oneself; seeking or concentrating on one’s own advantage, pleasure, or well-being without regard for others. My oldest daughter didn’t skip a beat and said, “You mean like me?” We all burst out laughing. She was, of course, having a moment of self-discovery, but also making an incredible effort at expressing sarcasm, which was well executed.
So we talked about that. We talked about how when we go through challenging times, it can be easy to be selfish. We are naturally programmed to protect ourselves and our best interests. It takes commitment and love to do the opposite. So we talked about what it means to be selfless, and how we can look to God for his example on the cross. He sacrificed the thing that held most value to him, for us. This helped hit home a little differently, and a little stronger than normal. Then we talked about what it’s like being a parent to them. We talked about our sacrifices. We talked about why the sacrifice is worth it. We talked about the emotions that drive that sacrifice, the love we use to motivate our sacrifice. In these moments, we can connect with God on an empathetic level. When we sacrifice for others, it can be incredibly healing. It can be moving. It can be beautiful.
These are all things that God teaches us through sacrifice every day, so long as we are willing to take a second and connect with Him, share those emotions with Him, and then share them with others, too. As fathers, this is part of our core call… to love… to sacrifice… to be the example that God set for us to our children and families. So this Father’s Day, I say a prayer for all the fathers out there. Stay strong. Ground yourself in God and in Love, and be the best versions of yourself that you can.
