Father Knows Best

As seen in the HEARTbeat and the Village Voice

“Father Knows Best”

            Most of you may remember a TV series called Father Knows Best.  It actually began as a radio series in 1949.  It became a TV series five years later in 1954.  The weekly journey we took with Jim and Margaret Anderson and their three kids seemed to take its twists and turns, but always ended with wise words from Mr. Anderson.  Even so, Bud, their son, always took things too literally.  When dad would say, “Bud, go jump into the lake!” Bud would respond with, “Which lake, dad?”  The eye rolls would start.  Jim Anderson seemed to stay flustered with him as Bud was constantly asking him for money.

            Then there was Betty, the boy-crazed teenage girl.  Sometimes Jim just didn’t know how to handle those situations.  The baby of the family was Kathy.  She didn’t like being the baby.  She whined and cried, but in most ways, she was the most sensible, as she was a good source of money to her siblings “lending” them her allowance.

            Through all of this Margaret remained the perfect mom, wife, housekeeper, etc.  She was Jim’s anchor, even though he would be sometimes surprised in her simplistic way of seeing issues.  At the end of the day, the family would gather around the dinner table and talk about the day’s issues and events.  It would be Jim, with a hand on his son’s shoulder, who would give the best advice to Bud.  Betty would be soothed by her father’s wisdom and hugs, and Kathy’s tears would be wiped away as she sat on her dad’s lap and the world was once again a better place.

            I think we can see a little bit of each disciple in the Anderson kids.  Matthew may have mishandled the money of the group, either on purpose or accidently.  Thomas, who was not really a doubter but had a zeal for Jesus and needed proof may have had a little bit of Betty in him, zealous for a wonderful life-experience.  And of course, there were the brothers, James and John who whined about being on Jesus’ left and right when He came into His kingdom.  They had a little bit of Kathy in them.  I think Peter had a little bit of all three kids in him!

            No matter what the problems of the day were for the disciples, where did they get wisdom?  They of course got the answers, both direct and in parables from Jesus.  But I ask you a question you might stop here and ponder: where did Jesus get answers to His problems?  I will tell you, Jesus sought out the wisdom, the love, the grace, and the strength from the Father.  He sought out the Father during the evening time to renew His strength.  He sought out the Father when He was grieving over the loss of His cousin, John.  He sought out the Father in the garden when He was troubled about what was getting ready to happen.

            No matter what this life hits us with, there is always a person we can go to who has the answer, the best answer.  Troubled, happy, sad, grieving?  Go to the Father, because the Father always knows best!