“Whoever fears the Lord has a secure fortress, and for their children it will be a refuge.” (Proverbs 14:26)
“Dad, can you put my shoes on? No, I don't think they'll fit me.” Last month, I wrote about mothers having the most important job in the world. To have a balance biblical view, I want to also say that “being a Dad is important business...” The importance of a father’s presence and active involvement in family life cannot be underestimated. A father has the potential to be a powerful force in the life of a child. Our kids live in a culture today that is infiltrated with sex, violence, and moral relativism. They are taught to live “me-controlled, self-indulgent and quick-fix lives” in this present age. Unfortunately, these are very “real” in today’s world and are designed to eliminate the traditional value of “family”. That is why it is crucial that fathers must recognize the gravity and uniqueness of their roles in the lives of their children. Sadly, many children have been deprived of a father’s presence in their lives. Statistically speaking, one has only 6,570 days from your child’s birth until his or her 18th birthday to “care” for and teach him/her. This is an overwhelming responsibility, to say the least. In this short period of time, a parent somehow manages to raise a child to cope with the serious issues of life while at the same time, giving him/her moments of laughter to remember. The home life is expected to be a tapestry of tough times blended with times of joy and tenderness. God’s Word reminds us that children need firm discipline administered in love. We are to teach them to live according to God’s principles and His Word. Spiritual training needs to be the foundation of our parenting and forms the core of our children’s being. As such, fathers are called to be spiritual leaders of our homes. My dear brothers, let us once again promote and embrace fatherhood. It is time for men to rise up and answer this clarion call in the next generation’s lives. Someone once said, “Our very survival as a nation will depend on the presence or absence of masculine leadership in the home.” A father, being the male parent, makes unique contributions to the task of parenting that a mother cannot offer. Dads, there is no substitute for the love and influence of a father. You provide for your children, you influence their views of all men, and you display an earthly image of our heavenly Father. Being a Dad truly is important business. Abraham Lincoln once said, “There is just one way to bring up a child in the way he should go, and that is to travel that way yourself.” Dads, your children are watching you. Let us be good examples for them in words and deeds. More than this, we must pray for our children, that they may grow up to know the Lord as the foundation of their life. As we celebrate Fathers’ Day this month, I ask the good Lord to grant you the wisdom, strength, and grace to achieve a healthy balance as a spiritual leader, father, husband, and protector in your own families. Then at the end of your journey here on earth, you dare humbly say, you have not lived in vain. Comments are closed.
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