Hill explained once, when recounting his relationship with his father, that he realized he was his dad, all over again. The same holds true for many of us today. My own dad passed away in 1979. While there were times that were not all rosy, I still fondly cherish his memory, because I have realized that I am truly my father, all over again. It may be in vogue to trash our dads.
Movies reflect how ineffective our fathers are today.
Yet, the scriptural basis of parental honor is quite plain. Honor your father and mother, and your days will be long. As a nation, we have spent far too much time honoring our mothers for our birth, and forgetting our fathers for our stability. However, when we study the facts about our dads, especially in the black community, we cannot escape from the single truth that all of the social prosperity we enjoy today comes from the sacrifices they made yesterday. Black fathers grew up in a time when racism was visible, educational opportunities were limited, and a man's word was his bond.