This past weekend, my daughter was looking through my collection of bedside books and found “Strong Fathers, Strong Daughters – 10 Secrets Every Father Should Know” by Dr. Meg Meeker. She pulled out the book, and waved it in front of me while slowly mouthing the word “secrets”. I smiled. She had my secrets, and asked me what they were. In response, I told her to open up the book and read them to me. She opened to the Table of Contents, and read aloud:
1. You are the Most Important Man in Her Life
2. She Needs a Hero
3. You Are Her First Love
4. Teach Her Humility
5. Protect Her, Defect Her (and use a shotgun if necessary)
She stopped reading, looked up at me – and repeated – “Use a shotgun if necessary? Are you serious?”
I nodded.
“Yes, if I had to… I would use a shotgun to protect you. Is that weird?”
There was a moment of silence. And in that moment, I felt like she was fathoming the nature of my love.
Then she said, “But you would go to jail.”
I responded, “Yes, unfortunately I would go to jail.”
“You would do that for me?”
“If I had to. And I really hope you wouldn’t make me!”
When I describe love like this, the word “fierce” comes to mind. God’s love is described as a jealous love. It is possessive. We are his, and that is a very good thing.
In that moment of silence, I also fathomed the depths of God’s love for me. A shotgun? Is that necessary? In 1 Peter, the Apostle Peter wrote:
8 Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. 9 Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that the family of believers throughout the world is undergoing the same kind of sufferings.
1 Peter 5:8
I once participated in a word study specifically for the word “devour”. The word “devour” (καταπιῃ) is translated as “gulp down” or “swallow” – to imply total destruction. The “roaring” lion implies hunger. The devil, your adversary, “he who is a defamer and calumniator; who accuses God to men, and men to God, and is therefore styled the accuser of the brethren; he is the saints’ avowed and implacable enemy.” (John Gill’s Exposition of the Bible)
When I consider this, that my children, by their very existence, are preyed upon by their adversary – our adversary – a shotgun is necessary – very necessary. This is the nature’s of God’s love. Consider your worth, for you were bought at a price (1 Corinthians 6:20).
References:
- https://www.biblestudytools.com/commentaries/gills-exposition-of-the-bible/1-peter-5-8.html
- https://biblehub.com/commentaries/1_peter/5-8.htm
Addendum:
I’m including some screenshots of Kevin Carden Photography, who marvelously captures the spirit of this post. Lean into your children. Give them the swords and shields to fight our adversary, who continually preys upon our children and our community.
