Now the days of
David drew near that he should die, and he charged Solomon his son, saying:
"I go the way of all the earth; be strong, therefore, and prove yourself a
man. And keep the charge of the LORD your God: to walk in His ways, to keep His
statutes, His commandments, His judgments, and His testimonies, as it is
written in the Law of Moses, that you may prosper in all that you do and
wherever you turn; that the LORD may fulfill His word which He spoke concerning
me, saying, 'If your sons take heed to their way, to walk before Me in truth
with all their heart and with all their soul,' He said, 'you shall not lack a
man on the throne of Israel.'” 1 Kings
2:1-4
This coming Sunday is Father’s Day, a day set apart to recognize and celebrate
dads and all they do for their families.
Unfortunately not everyone who has a father wants to celebrate
them. The truth is that some people have
experiences and memories of their father they would rather forget. Whether present or absent, involved or
disengaged, loving or apathetic, fathers leave an indelible mark on their
children. You cannot be passive in your
commitment to your family. You must be
aggressive. You must be proactive.
Our children will use our lives as reference points, for better or
worse. You have an opportunity to be
intentional about demonstrating for your children what a responsible, calm,
caring, self-sacrificing father is like.
Every man in the role of father has the same responsibility.
- Father-to-be, you need to make a
commitment now.
- Single Father, you are not their
mother. Be their father and serve
them.
- Step-father, your role is just as vital
as their real dad and maybe more.
- Grandfather, you are a hero to your
grandchildren and have access even their parents may not have.
As David lay on his deathbed he spoke wisdom to his son. What he said was powerful and clear. It’s a shame his life had not been the same. Notice
that even here he did not speak of being a father although he gave strong
advice on being a godly man.
What is required of a man to
be a good father?
Presence - "You shall teach them diligently to your sons and
shall talk of them when you sit in your house and when you walk by the way and
when you lie down and when you rise up. Deuteronomy 6:7
- There is no real influence without
involvement.
- Children learn by watching the patterns
of our lives.
- Children learn to communicate with men
through interaction with the child in play, reading, talking, doing
homework, and other activities.
- Children feel important when their
father is available, accessible and present in their life and makes them a
priority.
The first
step to effective fathering is adjusting your schedule and your position. Where you are in the home makes a difference.
The rest of this week we will look at some other points
of what is required to be a good father.
Do not think that you have made so many mistakes that it is too
late. David was on his deathbed imparting
wisdom to his son and he had a lifetime full of mistakes, big ones! So do not give up on your relationship with
your kids or your influence on them. It
may seem an impossible dream, but God is capable of softening the hardest of
hearts.
Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord. Ephesians 6:4
