Why is the fatherless boy so damaged and in need of repair? It's because the father-son relationship is at the foundation of our existence—that is, God sent his only begotten Son to die on the cross to restore the spiritual lifeline between the Father and his children. However, when that relationship is broken, it creates a deep soul wound. And if left unhealed, it will fester and manifest itself in dangerous and destructive ways. Without this lifeline and a tether of forgiveness and healing, Satan can have his way.
Men without God are essentially barbarians. Laws do not stop evil men—righteous men stop evil men. Where are all the righteous, godly men? Satan is picking them off through fatherlessness. Jesus gave us a glimpse of how painful it is to be without our father when he was on the cross and he cried out, "Father, Father, why have you forsaken me?"
Yet, God our Father gave us a powerful promise when he said, 'I will never leave or forsake you.'
The forsakenness that fatherless boys feel is a deep, penetrating, seemingly inescapable soul wound. But by the grace of God, we are rescuing the Fatherless by providing freedom from the anger and bitterness of the father wound, of being left behind and forsaken.
Many a fatherless boy believes that his abandonment was somehow his fault, but we talk to the boys frankly and directly about the lies they've accepted. We tell them, "The loss of your dad will matter greatly in your life, but by the power of Christ you can be the man you were intended to be! There is nothing wrong with you, you're not a mistake, and you're not the problem. This doesn't mean you won't have scars or walk with an emotional limp, but the wound won't be festering and will not control your life."
When I talk to these boys, their eyes light up because they know I understand their deep soul wound, and what I'm sharing with them is the hope of a path to healing. Praise God!
Dr. Tim Clinton interviews John Smithbaker on the daily broadcast.
On this broadcast, John Smithbaker shares his own story of growing up without a dad and explains his passion for ministering to fatherless children.
John Smithbaker serves as Director of Fathers in the Field. He served for 15 years as President and CEO of Brunton Outdoor Group, a leading manufacturer of outdoor adventure products. John earned his B.S. at the University of Arizona, and his M.B.A. at the University of St. Thomas. In 2005, John launched Fathers in the Field to share God's love with hurting boys dealing with the same abandonment issues he had endured. He is the author of Fatherless Wound Journey Guide Curriculum and The Great American Rescue Mission. John has been married to Tracey for 29 years and they have 3 children.