A Matter of Faith

By Carol RoundFather Always Provides

"Which of you fathers, if your son asks for a fish, will give him a snake instead?”
Luke 11:11 (NIV)

When I was growing up in southwestern Louisiana, my father wasn’t home very often. He worked hard in the oil-field industry. His job would take him away for days, sometimes weeks, at a time, leaving my mother to do most of the child rearing.

However, when he was home, my father spent quality time with us. My sister and I never lacked for anything. We didn’t realize it at the time, but we were blessed.

Visiting with a friend recently, she commented on her deceased father, who was the pastor of a small church. He died at a young age, leaving behind his wife and five children. Because of his premature death, my friend didn’t get to know her father very well.

“However, one thing I did know is that he loved the Lord and he tried to put Him first in his life,” said my friend. “Since he was a minister, he had a love for people. He was extremely sensitive to treating everyone fairly and with dignity.”

Although my friend’s family didn’t lack for life’s necessities, she said that times were tough growing up in the 50s and they, like everyone else, struggled to make ends meet. “My dad wasn’t afraid of work. He would haul hay and wasn’t afraid to try anything.”

After her father’s death, times were even tougher. “My dad always told us that he couldn’t leave us with great riches but he could leave us a good name. I didn’t truly understand this concept until I started working out in the public and realized what an impact he had made on people’s lives with his short ministry.”

My friend’s family struggled but “God always provided,” she said, “even before we asked. It’s like the story in the Bible of the woman and her son who didn’t have enough oil and flour. God always replenished. My life has always been like that.”

Recalling how God always provided, even when they hadn’t asked, she said, “My mother hadn’t worked outside the home. After my father died, she was offered a job in the superintendent’s office because she was good in math and had beautiful handwriting.”

The family never realized they were poor. “God provided us with work to do, like babysitting and ironing, so we could help our mother after Dad died.”

As a young teen, my friend wanted to play basketball but could not afford the athletic shoes that were required for the sport. “I didn’t even ask my mother because I knew we didn’t have the money.”

One day the coach called my friend into the hall during basketball practice to ask her what size shoe she needed. “When I told him that I couldn’t afford it, he replied that someone else had paid for mine.”

My friend never learned the name of her generous benefactor but she knows that “Our Father” always provides. Do you?


A collection of Carol Round’s most popular faith-based columns is now available in book form. For more information, readers can reach her at carolaround@yahoo.com.