Happy Father's Day - A Message from the Editor (Westside Gazette)

By Bobby R. Henry, Sr.| “As for me, I will see your face in righteousness: I will be satisfied, when I wake up, with your likeness. » –Psalms 17:15 KJV

What is so difficult about living your life as an example for others to respect? When it comes to men, I will use the example to refer to a real MAN. I think the hardest part of being a real man is letting go of the fear of what others may say about you.

Understanding that a man must go through a lot to gain the knowledge he needs to become that man requires wisdom and instruction.

Knowing how to exercise discretion is a working tool to reach maturity. By listening to your loving, caring parents and using their instructions as stepping stones, you will create a path free of heartache.

Since Father’s Day is coming up, I want to focus on fathers, so please excuse me while my attention and directions are turned to them and me.

When I was 10 years old, I remember seeing my father on his knees praying and it surprised me. I thought praying was only for the church. I asked him what he was doing and he told me he was praying. “For what,” I asked and he said “we.” I never thought

I didn’t think about it again until I started writing this piece.

Understanding that being a man means we have to care about others puts manhood in a whole new arena. We say we accept our responsibilities and we try to show it; but until we come face to face and are stripped of our pride in front of others for the sake of families, we do not know what it means to care about others.

Although my father was always a God-fearing man, he wasn’t always perfect, but who is?

Learning to be a man requires trusting what you can’t see. “Trust in the Lord with all your heart; and lean not on your own understanding. Proverbs 3:5 KJV

I watched my father abandon his understanding and rely on God. I saw this with my own eyes when it started happening. Did I believe it at first? No. But when I saw my father deliver a sermon that he had studied, prepared, and written, then I began to pay more attention to him.

My father was always his own man, or so I thought. I now know why he was and is able to do and become what he is.

Yes, its roads were not always straight, its paths were sometimes crooked, and they were dark for those who could not see the light; but he was able to travel through them safe from danger and any demons that might emerge from the darkness because he trusted in God.

I believe because my earthly teacher, my dad, showed me that if we learn to lean on God regardless of the circumstances or the time, we can make a difference.

We can start by shining a light on our families by being the example we want our children to follow. This example must come from the instruction and wisdom of the fear of God.

None of this will do any good if it’s not real. How can you come to God holding something in one hand while the other is behind your back? Do you think God can’t see what you’re hiding?

It’s not such a daunting task if what you’re doing isn’t contradictory to what you say you are.

Aside from showing everything to others and not committing to what you recognize yourself to be, there is virtually no room for failure, especially if you are guided by the Good Shepherd.

Trials will come anyway, but you can be better equipped to deal with them and come out better for them.

I learned that my father is the immediate example of what Heavenly Father asks me to follow to get to Him. And my father told me that he was trying to imitate Jesus, who is the Son of God. Therefore, if the Son of God is like his Father and my father is trying to be like the Son, then to complete the natural order I should continue to set an example for my sons and daughter.

This will not happen without trials and tribulations, which I suppose are just tests and those tests will lead to my testimony.
Be the father you were called to be and let’s keep the cycle of fatherhood going.

To find out more visit: Happy Father’s Day everyone!