“Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.” Ephesians 6: 4
“If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give what is good to those who ask Him!” Matthew 7:9
“Therefore you are no longer a slave, but a son; and if a son, then an heir through God.” Galatians 4:7
So, today is Fathers’ Day. I have very mixed feelings about this day….earthly fathers are not all what they should be. So for me this day could easily be a reminder of some very unpleasant times in life. Since I’ve come to Ghana I’ve started to realize more and more that it doesn’t really matter what kind of father you have….God is my Father. It is good for children to have Godly, righteous, loving protective fathers that really have their priorities in order. But not all children have this. In fact it is increasingly rare to find kids that have a stable family-life and Godly parents. I’ve learned though, that a less than ideal home life is no excuse for anything.
If you had/have a bad dad, remember that you’re not the only person that has to deal with this problem. BUT also remember that if you’re a Christian then you have been adopted and GOD is your real Father. And HE is the perfect father in every possible use of the word. He will protect you, discipline you, provide for you, comfort you, give you gifts, encourage you….anything you will ever need, He will give you if you ask with the right motive. He will never leave you. He will never let you down.
If you are a father, please remember that the way you treat your wife and your kids really will have a significant impact on them. A father that is too critical or judgmental or argumentative will cause a child to be scared to try anything new for fear of failure. A father that wants to be a “friend” to his kids instead of a parent will most likely have kids that are spoiled, undisciplined brats. So, dads, step up and be the fathers your kids need you to be. Don’t give them everything they want…give them what they need.
