When I was a child, I really wanted to change my name to Lawrence Khong. Obviously, my dad was my idol. He was someone I looked up to and I wanted to be just like him. I wanted to dress like him, I wanted to talk like him, I wanted to be a preacher just like him, and I even wanted the same side-parting hairstyle he had. As far as I was concerned, he was perfect to me.
As I grew older, I heard my dad preach more and more. Often, my dad would open up and share about his life during his sermons. As a child, I remember being shocked at some of the things I heard him share. Basically, he put himself in a very vulnerable position and spoke of his weaknesses, struggles, and imperfections. I suppose I was shocked because I had never seen him as anything but that perfect father. But by the grace of God, all these did not cause me to feel disappointed. Instead, God used these experiences to lead me into a deeper love for my dad. Rather than seeing my dad as a perfect father, I started to see him as a father who was real.
Perhaps sometimes in our desire to have the perfect father, we neglect the fact that our fathers are also human. Inasmuch as they are the head of the household and are seemingly expected to have everything together, they too have their fair share of struggles and difficulties. This Father’s Day, let’s remember that our fathers are also human and need our prayers and support. Fathers, you don’t have to be the perfect father either. You just need to be real.
To my own dad, thank you for always being real. Yes, I know that we’ve had our fair share of arguments and differences. But you’ll always be my dad who taught me how to swim, how to ride a bike, how to read the bible, and how to preach. You’ve given me one of the greatest gifts of all – your trust.
- Deputy Senior Pastor Daniel Khong