Anyone who knows me and my parents knows that I’m definitely more like my dad than my mom, but I didn’t realize how many habits and mannerisms I had picked up from my dad until I realized I was playing sudoku on the subway in Munich on my way to school. Most people probably don’t know this, but in his down time my dad loved to play sudoku while listening to the news.
My dad was shy, unassuming, and maybe a little bit awkward, but he had a big heart, he was absolute in his love for the Lord, and he was faithful in his service. Because my dad was shy, he very rarely expressed his affection towards us in words, but I think I can speak for myself and my two sisters when I say that we never doubted that he loved us and was proud of us. One of my most vivid memories is my dad coming to some of my soccer games despite him not having any interest in the sport, and I don’t think he’d ever compliment me after the game; he would always just point out what I could have done better or what I should have done differently, but I knew that was just his way of expressing that he was proud of me.
My dad was the constant in my life that I could depend on, both spiritually and throughout all the things in life. I never wavered in my Christian faith because I had my dad as a pattern and he never wavered in his love for the Lord. If I needed help with something or didn’t know what to do, my dad would be the first person I would call. I mentioned I get my personality and habits from my dad, but he also taught me a lot of the skills I possess. He taught me how to ride a bike and how to drive. He taught me how to play chess well and he would spend hours playing and analyzing games with me after my tournaments. He took me to practice batting and catching fly balls and bought a football to teach me how to throw a good spiral. Whenever I practiced playing hymns on the piano, he would drop whatever he was doing, pick up his guitar, and sing and play along with whatever I was playing. The older us kids got, the more we realized that he loved to be involved in whatever we were doing.
Apart from being an awesome dad, my dad was absolutely faithful in his service to the Lord. As part of his labor, he would go on long distribution trips, go to different conferences, or visit the homes of the saints. As a little kid, I didn’t really know why he was gone or what he did. It wasn’t until the past week or two as I was reading the testimonies from the saints in Europe and going through old photos and videos he had made that I realized the impact he had on people and the faithfulness with which he served the Lord. This was the way he was—hidden, unassuming, but steadfast and absolute in his labor.
As we were going through old pictures and videos these past couple of weeks, my sister said something which stuck with me. She said this loss is probably equally hard on the team he was serving with here as much as it is for us, because he was like a father to them too. After reading different testimonies, I realized he was a father to many other saints as well. So I’d like to end with a few verses from 1 Corinthians 4 which I think describe my dad very well. This is the apostle Paul speaking to the Corinthian believers
1 Cor. 4:1 A man should account us in this way, as servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God. 1 Cor. 4:2 Here, furthermore, it is sought in stewards that one be found faithful. 1 Cor. 4:15 For though you have ten thousand guides in Christ, yet you do not have many fathers; for in Christ Jesus I have begotten you through the gospel. I can just praise God for His sovereignty and blessing in placing me in this family and setting such a pattern before me.