Proverbs 20:7 English Standard Version (ESV)

7 The righteous who walks in his integrity—

blessed are his children after him!

Both my father (with the red hunting shirt) and my husband’s father, are examples of this verse. Through the good times and bad, they have always displayed a consistent trust in God and commitment towards a life of integrity. Their children have been blessed because of it! Blessing in the Old Testament Hebrew culture carried with it a sense of abundance and tangible inheritance. Our fathers delight(ed) in the law of the Lord by reminding themselves of His law day and night. They are like trees planted by rivers of water, bringing forth their fruit in season. Their leaves won’t whither and whatever they do prospers. (See Psalm 1) There is something to be said for not walking in the counsel of the ungodly, or standing in the way of sinners or sitting in the seat of mockers. My goal is to persevere in the workplace as many years as my father did. He provided an example of “sisu”- the Finnish word for keeping on in the midst of difficulty. Through it, he provided for his family an inheritance that would help care for physical needs for many years (even up to 20 years after his death). More importantly, he displayed the character qualities that inspire me to be an example for my family as well.

Psalm 1 (NIV)

1 Blessed is the one

who does not walk in step with the wicked

or stand in the way that sinners take

or sit in the company of mockers,

2 but whose delight is in the law of the Lord,

and who meditates on his law day and night.

3 That person is like a tree planted by streams of water,

which yields its fruit in season

and whose leaf does not wither-

whatever they do prospers.