Failure Is Not An Option On This Job

You don't need a license or a diploma to become a father, yet the job description is one of the toughest imaginable. According to Scripture, a father encourages and comforts his children, urging them to "live lives worthy of God" (1 Thessalonians 2:11-12). He is charged with the instruction (Proverbs 1:8-9) and discipline (Hebrews 12:10) of his offspring. He is expected to provide "good gifts" for his children (Matthew 7:9-11). Harder still, a father must not "exasperate" his children as he does these things. Instead–and most important of all–he is to "bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord" (Ephesians 6:4 NIV).

Pretty daunting huh? It would be even harder if you did not seek God's counsel daily! Yet, there are men who are called fathers that do not seek God's counsel and if it were not for a godly wife would raise monsters instead of kids who made it into the passage of adulthood. Your children imitate what they see when they are young. Children need boundaries and role models when life gets tough. They grow up with the perception of what they is see how a person should act, but if your fail in your guidance may more likely find they have a bend in another direction. If you are passive they will more than likely be aggressive, however maybe too aggressive to the point of hurting others. If you are passive-aggressive they will more-than-likely grow up angry. If you are angry at the world at large they will end up frustrated and feel alone. It matters that we recognize our shortcomings and failures early in life before we father children. That is when we get honest with God and start seeking his counsel through His word. Being a father is not a part-time job where you may think your other job is more important, you will fail miserably at home. You may become President of the company but if you fail at home because you were just too busy, you failed in life! Just playing with your kids is not enough, providing entertainment to keep them off the streets is not enough, providing the best tutors for their studies is not enough, what they really need is a full-time Dad humble enough to allow God to give instruction as to how to raise his family and love his wife.

In the face of these enormous responsibilities, you may feel like a high school dropout interviewing for a job as a nuclear physicist–you know that your résumé doesn't measure up! YOU ARE NEEDED AS A ROLE MODEL! It's up to you DAD to be the best dad possible but don't be discouraged. Scripture tells us that our heavenly Father will assist us in each of life's heavy responsibilities: "The Lord will guide you always; He will satisfy your needs" (Isaiah 58:11 NIV). You can depend on almighty God, the Father of all fathers, for strength in every parenting challenge–no matter what your qualifications might be, but you have to seek Him to find out how best to do the job.

See you next blog,
Ted

By the way Dad, did I ever tell you I know first-hand what failure at home feels like! It doesn't have to stay that way-make the change and take the time to learn.