He Led Me in the Way of the Master
Lessons from my Dad, a man full of the Spirit of Jesus
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On this Father’s Day 2021, I want to take the opportunity to honor my Dad, Ricardo James Anderson.
His friends call him Rick. My six children call him Grandpa. I call him Dad.
How do we fully recount the influence of those men in our lives we call Dad?
I am painfully aware of the fact that many in our world have fathers who abandoned them, were absentee, too harsh, or were never around.
An undeserved grace was given to me and my siblings in that we had a Dad who was a model father. I do not take for granted that I owe a tremendous debt of gratitude and love to my Dad for the man I am today.
I see my Dad in my own words, attitudes, behaviors, and instincts. My Dad shines through in the behavior of my own children, especially my boys.
Lessons I learned from my Dad
Fathers, don’t frustrate your children with no-win scenarios. Take them by the hand and lead them in the way of the Master. (Ephesians 6:4, MSG)
In lieu of a narrative that would be difficult to fully capture, I compiled a random list of lessons I learned from my Dad.
My Dad taught me:
To love God above all else because Jesus gave His life for me.
To be a diligent student of the Bible.
To find joy in teaching God’s Word to other people, especially young people.
That men can love music and art.
To learn to play all kinds of instruments. I play bass, guitar, and sing today because of my Dad.
To vocally harmonize by ear.
To perform music even when you might be nervous or insecure about your gift.
To appreciate a good blues bend on the electric guitar.
To confess your faults, repent, and move on.
That there is no such thing as a tool that should not be owned.
That the day he gave his life to Jesus turned his world upside down and sent him on a radically new trajectory.
