During the Civil Rights Movement, my siblings and I had few opportunities to experience Roosevelt Leon Walker, Jr., our father. As a young child, I settled for closing my eyes and imagining who he was and what he was like. His traveling, the sit-ins, the marches, or his speeches sometimes brought him close to where we lived. However, because of the Civil Rights Movement, he would quickly come through only to abruptly leave. His disappearance into the pages of the movement caused me to not know who I was for years. Still, I longed to know who my father really was so I could discover who I would later become.
For some reason, my mind did not retain many memories about my childhood. Most of the events I can recollect come only in bits and pieces. However, the clearest memory of my youth was sitting in my grandfather's chair. Rev. Roosevelt Leon Walker, Sr.'s chair was just an ordinary Lazy Boy recliner that someone had given to my grandparents. Because I was a very small toddler, the chair also served as my play area in the living room.
Often, I played in it under the watchful eyes of my grandmother, Lemon Walker. Before starting her daily tasks inside the house, she would fence me in with toys and place pillows on the floor to catch me if I fell. Later during the day, Big Momma would place me on her lap or right beside her in the chair as she listened to the radio. When Sandra and Randall returned home from school, my grandmother would leave to operate the family general store next door to the house. It was their turn to babysit, so my siblings would sit on the floor to do their homework because I continued to occupy the chair.
However, when my grandfather returned home, everyone stopped what they were doing, vacated the spots where they were, and would rush to greet him. That is, everybody except me. Although I could walk, I remained in the chair as Big Daddy kissed my grandmother on her forehead, rubbed my brother and sister on their heads and hugged them. I just sat there, looked, and took it all in because I knew after he finished greeting them; I had Big Daddy all to myself because I sat in his chair.
Nevertheless, the last memory of sitting in my grandfather's chair is the night Big Daddy died. I do not quite remember where we lived, but I think it was Bay Minette, Alabama. My grandfather preached at one of the local A.M.E. Zion churches. One day, as I went about my usual routine of playing in and occupying the chair, grandmother picked me up from the chair, sat down and placed me on her lap. Suddenly, a tear streamed down her weary face. For the first time since we were left in my grandparents' care, no smile adorned her face. Just moments before as we fought over who would sit in my grandfather's chair; Big Daddy, Roosevelt Leon Walker, Sr., went home to live with his Big Family and to sit on the real throne of God.
Fortunately, not long after Big Daddy died, my mother's parents, Arthur and Carrie Ward, volunteered to raise us because Big Momma could not do it all by herself. Daddy, as we soon called him, drove from Marion to Mobile to pick us up. As the Pontiac Catalina pulled into the yard, I remained in Big Daddy's chair. Moments later, Momma Carrie came and retrieved me because I refused to leave.
Because of her smile and one of her sweet tea cakes, I left the comforts of Big Daddy's chair and surrendered to the loving arms of Momma Carrie. As she carried me out of the house, I reached and touched Big Momma's cheek. She kissed my hand and whispered something. I heard her but it seemed like she just mouthed the words. All I heard was Big Daddy's voice saying something like, ‘Son, I know you don't want to leave but you will still be your father's child.'
When God created the earth, the very last thing He established was the family unit. The original family unit consisted of Adam and Eve. However, unlike the pairing of the animals, the human family unit is rooted in one male establishing a relationship with one female. This exclusive union formed a stronger unit designed for the specific purpose. That purpose is to be fruitful, multiply, and subdue the earth.
Nevertheless, in spite of the course of human history and despite our rush into sin, the family unit continues to survive the pressures from the outside. Throughout history, families have banded close together to overcome hardships, disasters, wars, and hard times. Even, in these economically trying times, the love of family continues to exist in our homes when we construct our families according to the specific purpose of God.
Even so, no matter what type of family God places us in, we are always a part of a really Big Family called the household of God. According to Paul, we have a heavenly Father that has adopted us into His family. Ephesians 1: 4-6 states ‘For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love he predestined us to be adopted as his sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves.’
God adapted us into the household of God because he has an important purpose for our lives. In spite of what we believe, man did not appear on earth by chance. The habitation and domination of this biosphere by man was the intended purpose of God. Therefore, we are the result of the intention and design of God. This makes us valuable to God. More importantly, we become more valuable as we live according to God’s purpose for us.
As the children of God, 1 Peter 1:16 instructs us, 'be holy because God is holy'. To paraphrase Barnes notes on the bible, the great truth is people everywhere will imitate the God they worship. They will form their character according to their God. They will regard what their God does as right. They will attempt to rise no higher in virtue than the God they adore, and practice only what he approves.
Hence, by knowing the characteristics of the gods people worship, we may form a correct estimate of the character of the people themselves. Likewise, our character also proclaims a lot about the God we serve. As the mature children of God, the Holy Bible instructs us to check ourselves daily to make sure we are serving God according to His purpose. So, what does our life walk show about the God that we serve? Does it show that we are walking according to God's purpose?
