One childhood memory is etched indelibly on my mind. I would slip my small feet into the large shoes of my father and, with some difficulty and to the amusement of others, walk clumsily around the house. Children are, by nature, imitators. From early childhood, they follow the lead of the adults around them. Sons imitate their fathers; daughters reflect their mothers. This gives real meaning to the familiar and often-quoted proverbs, “Like father, like son,” “Like mother, like daughter,” and “The apple does not fall far from the tree.”

That their children may be imitators of their lives places an awesome responsibility upon the shoulders of both mothers and fathers. Through the example they set, both parents can be a positive force for good in the lives of their children and, in a larger measure, a redeeming influence in human society. Father’s Day, observed on the third Sunday in June, affords an opportunity for everyone to recognize the awesome duties of being a parent.

Yet we are constantly pressured by many sources to blur the conventional lines between accepted parental roles and proper standards of right and wrong. Giving in to this accumulating avalanche results in societal acceptance of much that was once rejected as wrong.

Could there be any doubt, then, that we have a widespread moral crisis on our hands, a crisis of sufficient proportion that, if allowed to continue, will ultimately alter the course of our nation?
The Judeo-Christian tradition is at the core of our American heritage. For millennia, it has been a tremendous force for good in our society. Centered on the role of the father, this cultural force has given permanence to the home, stability to the family, and strength to American society. In this tradition, fathers generally acted responsibly. They did not abdicate their responsibility to various agencies developed by the state to engage in social engineering.

As we observe Father’s Day this year, let us remember and return to our religious heritage that gives all fathers a major role in the moral and spiritual development of their sons and daughters. Let fathers be more than mere biological progenitors. Let them be strong and able teachers, willingly assuming responsibility for instilling principles of right and wrong in their children. As a direct result, families will be stronger, and society will be better.
Let fathers be fathers.

“An Encouraging Word,” a weekly column by Brother Coop, is available online at http://hometown.aol.com/hkcoop

W. Howard Coop, Valley of Louisville, Kentucky, is a retired United Methodist Minister and has been a Mason since 1952. Contacts: 111 Dogwood Drive, Lancaster, KY 40444-1034; hkcoop@aol.com