Our need for a good father

Recently, I watched the Netflix show "Outer Banks." While I wouldn't recommend it for people under 25 years of age (sorry, I think it's a show that was written in a purposefully highly-addictive manner and glamorizes much bad decision-making; viewers are in need of full prefrontal cortex development in order to be able to reflect fully on the show, and even then, some of the intense, graphically-displayed drug, alcohol, sex and violent content is too much), the characters are written in beautiful ways that highlight our need as humans for two things: purpose and a father who loves us.

For a word on purpose: at the beginning of the series, the show's teenagers make aimless decisions involving partying, drugs and alcohol. Their desire is to "Have a good time, all the time." After they get involved in solving the mystery of the disappearance of one of their fathers, however, scenes depicting their aimless decisions fade away to make way for their relentless pursuit of justice, an endeavor that awakens them to loving each other self-sacrificially. As the season wears on, many of the main characters are given the chance to sacrifice for the good of the other, and most of them rise to the occasion, putting their own life or dreams at risk in some way for their friends. Having a purpose that matters helps them mature and grow beyond seeking only pleasure.

As fathers go, each character's brokenness or ability/inability to function healthily stems directly from how their father interacts with them: John B pulls his friends into life-threatening situations in pursuit of knowledge about his father's disappearance out of his desire to reconnect with his dad. JJ, whose father physically, emotionally and verbally abuses him, only wants his father's approval and makes poor decisions in an attempt to get it until he realizes it is something he will never receive and is able to let this desire go. Rafe, who is addicted to cocaine and becomes a murderer, also only wants the approval of his father who has been excessively cold and hard on him his entire life. Each of these young men's actions -- which are often poor choices -- stem from their need of a father's love and their willingness to do anything to get it.

This show has me reflecting on how beautiful it is we have a heavenly father who is always good and always ready to wrap us up in his arms and tell us everything is okay. How beautiful it is we have a heavenly father whose attention we don't have to work to attain because we already have it, full and undivided. How beautiful it is that we have a heavenly father with whom we don't have to prove our worth; he died to show us yes, we are wanted.

Thank you to all of the men who love in ways that reflect our heavenly father's love; what you do daily is deeply important. Whether we have an earthly father who shows us our God's love or an earthly father who has wounded us, let us run to our heavenly Father knowing he created us for him, that we delight him, and that with him, we are always accepted fully, as we are in each moment.