DOWN HOME: A father’s love plumbs divine depths

Posted: 3/14/08

DOWN HOME:
A father’s love plumbs divine depths

Sometimes, I think I know waaaaay too much about chick flicks and fashion.

This is my Y-chromosome’s fault.

See, I’m a daddy of daughters.

If I had produced different chromosomes and Joanna had produced boy babies, I’d probably know all about action movies, video games and the batting averages of left-handed pinch hitters in the American League.

As it is, however, I still remember quite a bit about a genre of tiny dolls called Polly Pockets, the film versions of classic Broadway musicals and the relative merits of most romantic comedies produced by Hollywood in the past 20 years.

Many dads might be bothered by this. A few would be embarrassed to admit it. Not me.

For more than 24 years, I’ve unashamedly committed myself to mastering “girl” things. One of the great accomplishments of my life was learning to tie a bow on the back of little girls’ dresses. (Hey, it’s harder than it looks.) I’ve spent many blissful Sunday afternoons in the middle of the floor, playing dolls. And I’m not bothered—at least not too bothered—to tell you I’ve developed a knack for handicapping the prospects of contestants on “reality” shows like America’s Next Top Model and So You Think You Can Dance.

See, I’m a daddy of daughters.

Love takes many forms. Years ago, as a young father, I was surprised to learn the shape of my love readily conformed to the interests of the two young lights of my life, Lindsay and Molly.

As a guy, I’d never dreamed my heart would turn to mush before “girl” things. But then Joanna gave birth to daughters, and love changed all my preconceptions.

Love changed me, too. I’m still a man, but I can see through a feminine filter, because I want this to be a world where little girls can grow up strong and free and secure, where they know Jesus loves them just as much as boys, where they are respected, appreciated and adored.

Every now and then, I even see myself through that lens. This happened when we watched the latest adaptation of the greatest chick-book-turned-flick of all time, Jane Austen’s Pride & Prejudice.

The climactic scene is when Elizabeth (Keira Knightley) tells her father, Mr. Bennet (Donald Sutherland), she wants to marry Mr. Darcy (Matthew Macfadyen). Females cried when Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy kissed, but I cried with Mr. Bennet. Sutherland’s face told the story of a father’s love, respect and passionate care for his daughter. He should’ve won the Oscar.

That scene has been on my mind as Easter approaches, because my love as a father is the closest I can approximate God’s love for humanity. I saw my love for my daughters reflected in Mr. Bennet’s eyes. And I can only begin to imagine how much God loves us, that he would sacrifice his only child for our eternal sakes.

–Marv Knox