“Fathers, do not exasperate your children; instead, bring them up in the training and instruction of the LORD.” (Ephesians 6:4)
It matters not how many years you have been a dad, there is still ample measure of chances to be better fathers. As long as you live, you are still the child’s father, and as such bear some responsibility to them, self, and mostly to God. By learning to embrace the opportunity, you can create a good influence on your children (even adult children). By being a better father, you will develop a more meaningful relationship with your child.
Billy Graham said of fatherhood, “A good father is one of the most unsung, unpraised, unnoticed, and yet one of the most valuable assets in our society.” Notice he said, “A good father.”
What are some distinguishing marks of a “good father”?
He treats his children’s mother openly with deep love, respect, and honor. Respect is a usefulness that one cannot grasp in character with words only, children learn it best by observation; love in action. If children are to genuinely take in and trust what a loving bond in marriage can be, they have to observe their parents living it out together. This will be a great benefit later in life in how the children as adults, handle their own relationships. Therefore men, as a Christian father, you must always honor, cherish, and love your wife with both words and actions, openly before your children.
In addition, he will spend quality time engaging his kids in conversation and activities, while being a good listener to their concerns; understanding they may have different opinions. This will prove to limit their time spent on technology by your purposed involvement and concern in their lives and needs.
Be an example of what you expect of them in behavior; admitting your mistakes, and seeking to fix problems and improve or change your choices.
Dad, God is our Heavenly Father and we are all His children. The role of a Christian father has enormous effects on how to train a child to walk with God as they grow up and on into life when they leave the nest. Fathers are God’s means to carry out discipline and training in the home as the child grows, therefore, it is imperative that a believing father knows his part and carries it out. He must guide the way for his family to be secure in Christ in an on-going manner.
As a father, you are a role model for your children; be loving, be gentle, be supportive, and most importantly, always bring your children closer to the LORD.
So far, I have only spoken of the Christian father. However, we have two problematic types of dads in America.
First, there are the dads whom do not believe in nor follow God. Most children look up to their dad’s opinion and choices in life. They want him to be a hero of sorts, at least in their minds. When dad does not feel the need for God in his life, that belief is generally passed on to his children. Keep in mind we are ultimately speaking of the salvation of the child; a human being that is lost. That father may be a good, loving man, but he rejects God; tragic eternal outcome.
The second problematic dad is the absentee dad. And even Christian fathers need to pay attention here. You can be in the home, yet an absentee dad. You can be so busy that you overlook and ignore your child’s greatest need, namely you. Pay attention to your children’s needs. They need an engaged father. Pastor dad, a word to you and my own failure; being a pastor I felt I was more responsible for God’s Church than my own kids. I worked 8am to minimum 10pm with Church needs. I neglected my own five children, and their mother. Pastor, the Church is not your number one priority. God is number one, family is number two, and Church comes after family.
Now, there is another absentee dad which is destroying families, children, and having disastrous effect on the American society and even morals. Just because you have the ability to father a child does not make you a father. A father owns up to the responsibility of raising that child correctly, he does not abandon that child or that child’s mother. Sir, the children need your loving active presence in their home as does their mother, and it needs to be a marriage to be a legitimate family. Man up for the first time in your life!
Now, to you who qualify, Happy Father’s Day!
