The Ring on Her Finger

For many years I have heard about parents giving their daughters a promise ring. This was usually a ring that would be given in order for the girl to promise sexually purity until she married. Recently, I heard of a different kind of promise ring. The promise given when this ring was on a girl’s finger seemed to go a bit deeper than just guarding the chastity of a daughter, it also pledged protection to her.

My wife has a "mommy's helper" come over every Wednesday afternoon and this 13 year old girl is learning how to both serve another mother in our church as well as get hands-on training to be a future wife and mother. Last week, Darcy (our helper) was so excited about a ring that she had received from her father. Her family recently went to the beach and while Tim (Darcy's dad) and Darcy walked together on the beach, Tim presented this beautiful "promise ring" to his daughter. Tim promised that he would love and protect his daughter and he promised that he would have her best in mind as he guarded her and allowed a future man to court her. He promised that he would choose a godly man for her and that this man would be ready for pursuing her toward marriage when he allowed the relationship/courtship to begin. Tim promised his commitment to his daughter and she was overjoyed to rest in her father's loving care as he pulled the pressure of her future off of her and kept the weight of it on himself.

You see, Tim is a godly dad who knows that he is to be the one guarding his daughter. The promise ring was not a promise from Darcy to her dad or Darcy to her future husband, but from Tim to his daughter.

How many less promises would be needed for teenage girls to remain sexually pure if fathers promised to protect the daughters that God has entrusted to them? Could we have missed the mark in the promises that should be made? Might it be wiser to have dads take a greater role in guarding their daughters than having daughters simply seek to remain pure on their own initiative? True love does wait, but a dad's love doesn't.

I thank God for men like Tim who stand up and lead their families courageously, creatively, and with care. It is such an example to me as a young dad with two daughters of my own.