Frank J. Buchman

Cowboy • Horseman • Writer

Wisdom More Important Than Family Semblances

“He sure looks like his dad.”

“She looks just like her mom did.”

We have made those statements many times in recent years.


It is interesting to see how people we haven’t seen for an extended time, now closely resemble the way we remember their parents, or even a relative, 30 or 40 years ago.

Resemblances seem to run in certain families more than others, and it’s sometimes two or three generations away when the familiarity shows up.  Most often: son like dad, daughter like mom, or son like mom, visa versa, etc. Yet frequently, similarity comes in grandparents, great grandparents, aunts, uncles, even great aunts and uncles.

With recent birthday celebrations of our daughter, son and grandson, semblances of family were called to mind. It’s been said our son resembles us, and likewise our daughter looks a lot like her mom. We didn’t favor Dad much, though occasionally that would be said, but more often we were compared to Mom, and frequently to one uncle, our mother’s brother.

While a vague familiarity is the first inclination one gets of a family tie, we often find there is also similarity of voice, mannerisms, attitudes, interests or abilities. We inherited some of our parents’ traits, including horse inclinations, but no mechanical or building traits were passed along.

Many times, a person doesn’t have a clue of one being a relative to another. However, if three or more generations are known, usually some family member will bear a stark likeness to another. Frequently, we hear, “Oh yes. I should have known. I can see a family resemblance.” Popular country songs have been written about this phenomenon.

Most people are pleased when one acknowledges their family semblances. Others scowl, contradict and deny. Cause of the dislike of the similarity of one to a previous generation would be unique to each situation, but would have to have come from some conflict, misunderstanding or perhaps just jealousy?

A degree of likeness may show through in outward appearance for many generations, but it’s the wisdom one gains from forefathers that matters most.

Best advice comes in Proverbs 4:1: “Here, ye children, the instruction of a father, and attend to know understanding.” Additional emphasis is in Proverbs 4:5 and 4:7: “Get wisdom, get understanding: forget it not.”  “Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore
get wisdom; and with all thy getting get understanding.”

+++ALLELUIA++++

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