I feel very blessed to have had a father while growing up. Like many fathers, mine wasn’t perfect, but he consistently provided for my basic needs, food, shelter, and fatherly love, which helped shape me into the person I am today.
I grew up in an immigrant family in the small California town, Visalia. My parents, two older sisters, and I arrived in the United States, if I recall correctly, in September of 1994. I was six years old, and I did not speak any English at the time. Shortly after we arrived, I enrolled at Highland Elementary for 1st grade. Thankfully, there were other students from the same region who spoke the same language as me, Lahu.
The Lahu people have no country of our own. We are considered one of the hill tribes of Southeast Asia. From the Ethnic-china (2019) report, there are approximately 720,000 Lahu people living in China. The United States has the smallest population of Lahu people compared to other countries. According to the Lahu Samakhom, an unofficial community-based life insurance policy, there are only about 5,000 Lahu people living in the United States. Among U.S. cities, Visalia has the largest population of Lahu residents.
In Lahu culture, there is no family without a father. I believe this holds true for many other cultural and ethnic groups as well. In the same way, there is no nation without a leader, and no kingdom without a king. (You get the picture). This Father’s Day, I want to remind all the Christian fathers of their true identity.
God has blessed me with a beautiful wife, Nalee, who comes from the Hmong community. Together we have six talented children, two boys and four girls. Raising my own kids taught me so much about what it means to be a father. When I was a child, I didn’t understand what it meant to be a father or the weight of responsibility he carries for his family. Now I know that God places a high calling on fathers because He has appointed them as the leaders of their households (1 Timothy 3:4).
Therefore, Christian fathers must accept the role God has given them. This is not a title we pick and choose. It is a divine calling and our true identity. We are chosen by God to set an example and to lead our families. It’s what we do as fathers. Instead of running from this responsibility, let us embrace it with confidence. As Joshua declared:
“As for me and my household, we will serve the Lord.” (Joshua 24:15)
So, let us do the same!
Let’s remember the great example given to us by Job. When Job thought his children might have sinned, he took responsibility for his children’s spiritual lives by interceding for them and seeking God’s mercy (Job 1:4-5). As fathers, we too must pray diligently for our families.
I believe our nation is at stake because many fathers neglect their God-given role. The strength of our society begins with the strength of our families. The Bible urges us to teach God’s Word continuously to our children (Deuteronomy 6:7). In light of this, let us rise to God’s standard through love and faith in Christ. Our families, our church, and our nation depend on it.
