My dad is a great dad. His jokes though? Well I’ve never traced this all the way back, but it’s quite possible he invented the dad joke. My dad has jokes on jokes on jokes—no joke. Not good jokes, mind you. Just jokes. Not even original jokes probably. Just…jokes.
For the record, dad jokes are usually not as bad as uncle gags. The old “gotcher nose” or the infamous “What’s that behind your ear?” If you have an uncle in the category of “one of those,” hear me when I say, never ever pull his finger.
Back to my dad though. I have to admit, I thought the dad jokes would slow down once I reached adulthood. That would be a nope. He once called me up and asked me to save my burned-out lightbulbs for him. Some kind of art project? I wondered. I asked him and he said, “No, I’m taking up photography and I want to build a dark room.” I half-chuckled and made sure he knew I was eyerolling really hard on the other end of the line.
To further make my case about my dad and his jokes, he told me that throughout the entire stay-at-home order during the pandemic he only told “inside jokes.” (Add another half-chuckle/eyeroll combo here.)
FYI, my dad is still the greatest dad and can probably beat up all the other dads.
That’s how it often is with dads. We love them big and eyeroll big.
Whether you were blessed with chuckles and eyerolls with your earthly dad or not, it’s a no-jokes blessing to remember we have a good heavenly Father. Not only good, but perfect. Completely loving. Can we ever fully wrap our heads around the truth that the one who created the universe and holds it together is also the Father who loves us deeply and personally?
“See what great love the Father has given us that we should be called God’s children—and we are!” (1 John 3:1 CSB) Oh, the magnificent blessing of this knowing. You are loved. You are embraced, the treasured child of the Creator/Father.
I believe with all my heart that it blesses your Father when joy lights your life. He created joy. Jesus gave His life to make our Father/child relationship a reality. He did it with love and our joy in mind. “I have come so that they may have life and have it in abundance” (John 10:10 CSB).
Fullness of life happens as we’re richly connected to Him. Jesus showed His loving heart when He wouldn’t let His disciples eyeroll and shoo away the children. “Jesus said, ‘Leave the little children alone, and don’t try to keep them from coming to me, because the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.’ After placing his hands on them, he went on from there” (Matthew 10:14-15 CSB).
He loved them. He touched them. Our Lord has a non-shooing, hands-on, personal, nary-even-an-eyeroll, deep love for His children. He wants us to know His love, and to let it become a catalyst for an abundant life of joy.
Let’s shine a light on the perfect love of our good Father today. Let’s shine it with joy. No room for darkness. (So, thanks Dad, but we probably won’t be needing your pretend darkroom today.)