NOW that our "nest" is empty, and we are enjoying being grandparents to the next generation, I often find myself reflecting on the days when all of our children were still at home. How I used to love it I when I would come home late in the afternoon and hear the children exclaim, "Daddy's home!" They were glad I was home and so was I, especially on an evening when I was home to stay. After supper it would be, "Hey,' Dad, can you play games with us?" or "Let's play football." There's something special about the family unit being all together at the close of the day.
Proverbs 17:6 says, "The glory of children is their father." Every boy and girl needs a daddy to glory in, to be proud of, to look up to, to brag on to their friends. They need a dad who will stand for what he believes is right - even if they don't like it at times – and who can be counted on when they really need him. They need a father who really loves their mother and proves it by the quality way he treats her. That's security! God gave children fathers because He knows how much they need one. After all, He is our Heavenly Father, and who would know more about it than He does?
PROOF
The greatest proof any child can ever see of genuine Christianity at work should be in the life of his or her very own dad. All the sermons in the world cannot equal the impact of one godly father's example. Children today are not "buying into" Christianity the way they used to. They have seen too many bad examples of it. They must be convinced by living proof. And no one is in a better position to do that than fathers.
But something sad is happening to the "glory of children" these days. Many fathers, Christian and non-Christian alike, feel betrayed and rejected. Others are so enslaved to career pursuits and job responsibilities that they no longer have time to be the "glory of children" in their homes. So children feel neglected. Then there are some who live such self-centered lives with their hobbies, sports, and circle of friends that they have become indifferent to their children and have completely lost touch with them. No wonder the family feels unimportant!
Dad, no one in this world needs you more than your wife and children do. They need your presence, your interest, your time, your wisdom, your touch, your love. They really need you! When my oldest brother was on his death-bed, his last words to my Dad were, "Dad, you have given me everything I have ever wanted, but yourself." Dad was crushed by those words. He was not a bad man, just a very busy man in the great ministry God had given him. When he performed the wedding ceremony for my wife and me, his simple, yet profound counsel was, "Don't make your father's mistake. Don't let anyone or anything ever come between you and your family, not even your ministry." That was the best advice he ever gave me.
EXAMPLE
A great example of a godly father in Scripture was Abraham. He was a very old man when God brought Isaac, the child of promise, into his life. Part of his story is in Genesis 22:1-12. Abraham dearly loved his son and was very devoted to him. Notice these outstanding qualities of this father:
1. He listened to God (v. 1). Every family needs a father who listens to God. Are you the kind of father who listens attentively when God speaks?
2. He obeyed God (v. 3). What God told him to do, he did. Even though it was going to be hard, Abraham obeyed. Dad, are you obedient to God? Your obedient response to God will be the best example for your children.
3. He worshiped God (v. 5). True worship is giving back to God what is rightfully His. Abraham was willing to do that even if it meant giving his precious boy back to God. Dad, are you teaching your family what it means to worship the Lord by your willingness to give back what is rightfully His? Your example will speak much louder than your words.
4. He trusted God (vv. 5-8). It takes a dad who is really trusting God to lead his family in these troubled times. A man of great faith will be the best kind of father.
5. He listened to his son (vv. 7-8). When God spoke, Abraham listened. And when Isaac spoke, he also listened. Children today are desperate for God (fathers who will take child time to listen to them. Dad, when you give your undivided attention to your children, you are letting them know their personal value to you. When you don't, what are you telling them? One young boy was asked how to spell "love." After thinking a moment he replied, "T-I-M-E." And Dad, that is how your children spell "love" too.
6. He feared God (v. 12). To fear God is to know that you are accountable to God for everything, and someday you will stand before Him to give answers. When a father fears God, it will be very obvious by the way he treats his family. Does the "fear of the Lord" motivate you in the way you assume your responsibility for your family?
7. He pleased God (v. 12). God was happy with Abraham's performance. He commended and rewarded him. And when a father is pleasing the Lord, the blessing of God will be upon him and his family.
CHALLENGE
Now, Dad, God is really counting on you to be the "glory of your children" - to love them, to lead them gave spiritually, to read God's Word and pray with them, to lovingly discipline them, and to train them to be godly kids.
God wants to bless your family. But so much depends on you. Many families these days are hurting badly because the fathers are failing. You may be saying, "What can I do?” You can be the man God wants you to be, and give your family what they want most -yourself! May the happiest words you hear each day be "Daddy's home!” That will tell you something about how important you are to your family.
SUGGESTION
Here is a parting suggestion: Take the list of characteristics of Abraham and use them as a checklist of your own performance as a father. A regular review could be very motivating. God will bless you and your family, as you seek to honor Him by your fatherhood.
From Grace & Truth Magazine, Danville, IL USA, June, 2002. Used by permission. Website: http://www.gtpress.org/
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