Articles
Two Favorite Verses
I recall a couple of verses my dad loved—both from the
Psalms. Here’s one:
For every beast of the forest is mine, and the cattle upon a thousand hills. (Psalm 50:10 KJV)
I recall a trip we were making over 55 years ago. My dad was driving, my uncle Lester was in the passenger seat, and I was in the back. As we passed some cattle grazing in the field, this brought Psalm 50:10 to my dad’s mind and he mentioned it. It made an impression on me.
The second passage is:
I have been young and now I am old, yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken or his descendants begging bread.
(Psalm 37:25 NASB)
Although I don’t recall the circumstances that led my dad to bring this verse up, I do remember him discussing it. And he truly believed what it said. Even after all these years I recall that these two verses were special to my dad. I know they were special because he specifically mentioned them. We fathers can teach our children by just this very thing—pointing out passages that are particularly meaningful to us. My dad didn’t have a lot to say about these verses—just a brief mention. But that was enough to make an impression on me.
There are two lessons, at least, that fathers teach when they call attention to specific passages. First, they teach the verse itself—what it says and what it means. Second, they teach that Scripture is important—important enough to study, remember, and weave into everyday conversation. This cannot help but make a lasting imprint on a child’s impressionable mind.
And when the father lives his life in harmony with the passages he quotes, that is really powerful! A father who knows the word, lives the word, and teaches the word is truly a blessing to his children (Deuteronomy 6:6-7; Ephesians 6:4).
I am thankful I had a dad like that!
