Who's Your Father?

"But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:" (John 1:12).

     In 1987, I was in another town, almost two hours away from my home. It was the first time I was ever in this town.  I was approached by a woman I had never met before. She started asking me questions about a certain man. She told me his name. She told me how old he was and where he went to school. She told me the names of his brothers and sister and his parents. She asked me if I were related to him. I told her the name of the man she was talking about was my father, but I was perplexed that she would know him, since she was two hours away from  his home town. She said she hadn't seen him since 1947 when they were in the 6th grade together in school, then she moved away and had not seen him since. I asked her what made her ask me about him, and how she associated me with him. After all, she hadn't seen him in 40 years!  She said, "Honey, you look just like him! You walk like him, you talk like him and everything about you reminds me of him!"  She hadn't seen my father in 40 years, but saw enough of him in me to know I belonged to him! We discussed him awhile and I showed her some pictures I had with me. We had a nice visit, then we parted ways. As I made the trip home, I began to think about all this. It was very strange that she thought that I looked like him. I was 21 at the time, and she last saw my father when he was 14 at that time. 

     She had seen me from a distance, and immediately made the connection to my father.  As I began to think about all of this,  immediately began to ask myself, "Can people tell who my Father is by watching my life, by listening to me talk?"  Now, I am not referring to my earthly father, but can people tell that God is my Father by watching me? Do I act like my Father? Do I talk like Him? Do I respond to people and situations like Him? Can they tell I spend time with Him? Can they see that I have a relationship with Him? 


"Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were unlearned and ignorant men, they marvelled; and they took knowledge of them, that they had been with Jesus." (Acts 4:13).

   
     It was obvious to all who saw Peter and John that they had a relationship with Jesus. They acted like Him, they talked like Him and was like Him in so many  ways that others could see it.  If we call God our Father, then we should act like Him. We should talk like Him, walk like Him and live like Him. When others are around us, there should be no question as to who our Father is. When they talk with us, they should not wonder if we are a Christian or not. When they interact with us, they should know that God is our Father. If they do not know, then we are not living the way we should. If they have to wonder or guess if we are a Christian or not, then perhaps we are not. If we are truly His child, our actions and words will prove it.  

     Just as an earthly father wants his children to look like him and act like him, God wants us to be like Him as well.  It should be our desire to be more like him every day of our lives. The more like Him we become, the more of Him the sinners will see in us. 

"Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven." (Matthew 5:16). 

     So, who is your Father? If God is your Father, then determine today to begin to spend more time with Him, develop your relationship with Him and begin acting more like Him. Others will see the resemblance and will want to know more about Him!  They are watching us (just as this woman was watching me without my knowledge). If we say He is our Father, but we do not act like Him, then they will not listen to anything we try to tell them about Him. 


"And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me." (John 12:32).

     If we want others to come to know Christ as their Savior, then we must lift Him up. If we are living in ways that dishonor Him, then He is not being lifted up in our lives. He is looking for people who want to be more like Him. Seek Him more and follow after Him. Others will then see Christ in us, and will want to become a child of God also.