"TRADITION, TRADITION" 51
Daddy drove me to his place and waited in the car while
I went in. The man was one of the rudest, roughest, most
mean-spirited men I had ever encountered. It was obvious I
couldn't work for such a person.
I got back in the car and said, "Father, I could never
have him for a boss."
I actually felt sorry for my dad that day. He was at the
end of his rope. He said, "Benny, what do you want me to
do for you? Tell me what it is. I'll do anything you ask if
you'll just please leave this Jesus of yours."
"Dad," I said, "you can ask me anything you want, but I
would die before I'd give up what I've found."
It was an ugly scene. He turned from a friendly father
into a sarcastic stranger. All he had to offer was another
torrent of hate, another tongue-lashing.
For the next year—nearly two—my father and I had
almost no communication. At the dinner table he wouldn't
look at me. I was totally ignored. It finally became
unbearable even to sit down and watch the evening news
with my family.
So what did I do? I stayed in my room. But looking
back on it, I can see that the Lord knew exactly what He
was doing. I spent hundreds of hours—thousands—alone
with God. My Bible was always open. I prayed. I studied. I
worshiped. I feasted on heavenly manna that I would need
in the years to come.
"I Must Obey the Lord"
Getting to church was a gigantic problem. How I longed
to go, but my father said, "Absolutely not!" time and time
again. In fact, those were practically the only conversations
we had—arguments about the house of the Lord.