“Son, don’t give me 6 for a 9; I would rather you tell me the truth because it’s hard to trust the one who is untruthful.”
I think I got 2 number flips by dad that I can remember...
But he had a pipeline to heaven, or it seemed that way. Yes, lying wasn’t and will never be a good option anyway but I liked my fledgling life so it never seemed like a smart move to try and pull the flip on dad!!!!!!!
Forward Friday Legacy Living finale rolls into Father’s Day weekend and we take time to honor the life of my dad one more time this month and appropriately it is Father’s Day!
I think of the areas we’ve talked about in the past 3 weeks, cared for people, perseverance, Forgiveness, peacemaker but today, I believe what made all of those attributes powerful was dad’s bedrock standing in truth and how he found and relied on that grounding.
We’ll talk about it as we reminisce about Hubert Mills, the man I call Dad was so wise and adept at helping others in these areas that so many miss out on the blessing of.
We look one more time this month at some of the things that made this man so special. And as always, there’s good news medicine at the end!
Let’s Get Into This!
I remember some of the earliest memories of Dad talking about telling the truth and how the only thing we really had/have is our name and there is so much that is tied to our name.
Honor, trustworthiness, integrity, value etc.
So, the few times I tried to lie and I did get caught, the experience of having a warm backside kinda told me that it wasn’t a good idea to lie to my dad.
But even more than that, he would say that if you could lie easily, that trait will become a problem because every level up in our lives, the stakes in the areas of our lives grow and ill-fated decisions will end up costing us more and more.
Dad would often quote Tennyson who said, “To thine own self be true, and we won’t be false to any man/woman.”
Dad would often talk about the problems and the consequences of truth being non-existent in our lives.
I’m paraphrasing but Dad would say that there are outgrowth problems for the one where truth is far from them.
Consequences of Truth not being in us:
Breaks trust and ruins relationships
A lack of truth seems to harden the heart and can make us more prone to missing the mark in other ways.
Sooner or later, the lack of truth will end us up in a ditch.
Dad would often say that the truth does not mind being questioned but that a lie doesn’t like being challenged.
Dad would often say, the Way of Truth and those who walk on and in it are as bold as lions. Those who live the other way run when no one is chasing them.
The Truth Protects
Truth is both a defense and offense in our life’s journey. It is amazing how, when we live and walk in the truth, no matter the opposition, we can stand firm and tall knowing that we are not being false in any way or direction. I have been amazed over the years how that has even played out in my life.
Our society has become so feeling oriented that when our feelings get all messed up even when we are in the wrong…confusion becomes the reality…There is something about the surefootedness of truth that makes paths straight and clears up distorted thinking and living.
And Now For Some Good Medicine
Dad staked his life on the truth that his relationship with God through Jesus liberated him to live the life that he led.
He lived confidently, he lived courageously, he lived with joy, peace and fulfillment. He believed and lived the same way. He was true blue.
He would say that once a person had a real encounter with the Man from Galilee, everything would change and freedom would come to that man/woman.
This story in the Bible illustrates this so well and it’s the story of Zacchaeus, that tax collector. We’re still not excited about the tax man now and Zacchaeus was clearly not in the people’s good books for how he had treated them.
But Then Came The Encounter.
Luke 19:1-10 Jesus entered Jericho and made his way through the town. There was a man there named Zacchaeus. He was the chief tax collector in the region, and he had become very rich. He tried to get a look at Jesus, but he was too short to see over the crowd. So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore-fig tree beside the road, for Jesus was going to pass that way.
When Jesus came by, he looked up at Zacchaeus and called him by name. “Zacchaeus!” he said. “Quick, come down! I must be a guest in your home today.” Zacchaeus quickly climbed down and took Jesus to his house in great excitement and joy. But the people were displeased. “He has gone to be the guest of a notorious sinner,” they grumbled. Meanwhile, Zacchaeus stood before the Lord and said, “I will give half my wealth to the poor, Lord, and if I have cheated people on their taxes, I will give them back four times as much!” Jesus responded, “Salvation has come to this home today, for this man has shown himself to be a true son of Abraham. For the Son of Man[a] came to seek and save those who are lost.”
3 Takeaways
The Truth Purifies
Zacchaeus led a rather smelly life as to how he had lived and treated people. Smelly thinking makes smelly living. But that day, Zacchaeus came into contact with the One who would change his life forever and it was such a radical cleansing, he was going to pay back those he robbed from 4x’s as much he had cheated!
I may have not thought I needed to be cleaned up but after my own experience with Jesus, I’m glad He loved me when and how he found me but didn’t leave me like he found me.
The Truth Sets Free.
Such was the freeing nature of the encounter, the man who obviously loved money was freed not out of guilt or condemnation but freedom to choose right.
Lies/deception makes a prisoner out of us. Truth releases from captivity.
The Truth Brings Growth.
Living in truth has some pretty awesome life adjustments for the one who chooses it. We could list a who’s who of negative attributes of one who has not experienced a truth growth spurt.
But dad would say, there’s more on the plus side to talk about so these are some of the things that once being purified, set free by truth, these characteristics can flourish and grow even more.
Love, Joy, Peace, Patience, Kindness, Goodness, Faithfulness, Gentleness, And Self-Control
As we are walking into Father’s Day weekend, I miss my dad and even though it’s been 20 years this year that he’s been gone, he lives on and some days, it feels like yesterday that he left us...
He may have not woken up every day and said I’m leaving a legacy but in effect, that’s exactly what he did!
He lived a life of caring and loving people, perseverance against many odds, he was a peacemaker, forgiver and He lived in the Truth and truth was his ally, watchman, guard, and light!
I trust these 4 weeks have given you a glimpse of the Hubert Mills I knew and loved; in case you never met him, maybe these views will encourage you in your life walk this weekend!
The man from Bermuda! It still amazes me that his life and story lives on!
I desire to live like this; my dad, A man for all seasons……Happy Father’s Day Dad!!
Dave
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