The Heart of a Father

I cannot pretend to be a Shakespearean scholar or even that well acquainted with his work, but there is a phrase in the famous play Romeo and Juliet that has always stuck with me

‘What’s in a name? That which we call a rose/ By any other name would smell as sweet.’

This is Juliet’s line when she is telling Romeo that a name is nothing but a name and it is hence a convention with no meaning behind it. Of course, it is meant to be an assurance to Romeo that she loves him the person regardless of his last name- but this is not an English Literature class so let’s come back.

Many cultures around the world believe that names are significant. They not only give identity and tie one to a family, clan or tribe but also are in a sense prophetic, naming one according to their personality but also according to the aspirations that the parents have for their child.

Imagine then for a moment, having to exist in this world without a name. That is the premise of the play Carnival Girl. A young girl is first separated from her Mother when she dies in childbirth. Her Father is then captured as a Prisoner of War leaving her in the care of her siblings, who are mere children themselves. They then decide to leave their baby sister at a carnival, deeming that as the best place for a newborn. ( I know, it’s wild, but please stay with me here). This unnamed baby grows up in the Carnival as a cute little girl that no one pays much attention to.

The adults in the story are all just trying to figure their lives out and can’t provide her with the care and nurture she craves. The rubber meets the road when their boss announces that the Carnival can no longer continue and she is once again on her own. It’s a nail-biting affair as you watch her try to make her way in the big wide world and one wonders will she survive? Just as you throw in the towel and say your final prayers for her, her Father miraculously shows up, picks her up, dusts her off and takes her back home where they live happily ever after and he finally names her. If you want to find out her name you need to buy a ticket.

What does the Bible say about Fathers?

In a world that is trying to erase the role and importance of Fathers, I am glad that there are modern stories that weave in Biblical truths. It got me thinking about what the Bible says about Fathers.

In the Garden of Eden, when Adam and Eve sinned, in Genesis 3. two remarkable things happened. In verse 9 God pursues Adam and asks him, ‘Where are you?’. Later on in verse 21 after pronouncing judgement on every party involved it says ‘The Lord God made garments of skin for Adam and his wife and clothed them.’

God as a Father is patient and kind in this instance. He had every right to be angry at them and release His wrath on them, but he showed them mercy even in His disappointment. He disciplined them because he loved them and accepted them as His children ( Heb 12:6)

In the New Testament ( Matt 3:13-17)during Jesus’ baptism we see God the Father affirming Jesus when He says, “This is my Son,whom I love;with him I am well pleased”. He not only acknowledges their relationship but shares His thoughts about His Son. So many broken children and adults  carry that innate need to hear those words from a Father. For daughters, it gives them a sense of security and confidence and for men it gives them direction and purpose.

Finally, in the book of Ephesians is a clear instruction to Fathers Ephesians 6:4 ‘Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger by the way you treat them. Rather, bring them up with the discipline and instruction that comes from the Lord.’

This verse acknowledges that Fathers can make mistakes that can cause their children to act out but in the same breath gives a way out of this behaviour. So many people might have grown up with a father who was mean, violent, and abusive. Some fathers were physically present but absent in all other ways. Some fathers were stuck in addiction which created an atmosphere of fear and instability in the home. This is not God’s design and for whoever is reading this, who ended up in a destructive way because of the dysfunction, I pray that you may allow God to be your Father as he promises in Psalms 68:5. Let Him heal you and begin to give you a happily ever after, just like he did with Carnival Girl.

The show opens March 8^th-10^th 2023, at Braeburn Theatres, Gitanga Road. It is a beautiful family show with lots of heart that will have you singing and dancing and reflecting. You can purchase your tickets here.