Nothing…Because We Wouldn’t Even Be Here
That’s right. We wouldn’t have been born without a father. But just being a father doesn’t mean we’re good at it.
Being a good father is a big job.
This past Sunday was Father’s Day, so it only makes sense that this was the focus of Pastor Lisa’s message.
So, what does it mean to be a father?
While it might seem obvious what “dad” means– a male parent– it’s often hard to define the role of a dad.
Dad can mean a lot of things to a lot of people. So, what do children need? After all, the definition is a male parent.
Children need many things from their parents, but let’s break it down into the main pieces. They need:
- Necessities of life
- Human interaction
- Care and comfort
- Warmth and love
- Guidance and protection
- To be important to someone
These relate to the different roles that dads (and moms) play.
Human parents are not perfect…some are quite bad at it. We’ve all known people who have bad fathers or don’t even know who their father was.
This is where mentoring comes in. Young men need good role models. These role models can come in the form of coaches, camp counselors, dads of friends, teachers, etc.
We all need people to look up to and try to be like. We should all try to be those people.
This is where my friend Shep’s book, Step into Your Legacy, can be helpful. His book is a guide for men, helping them strive to be people who inspire others through actions and words. Whether it’s the way we treat our families, the kindness we show to others, or the dedication at our workplace, every moment is an opportunity to make an impact.
Being a good dad requires knowing what it means to be a good dad and being intentional about doing it.
As Pastor Lisa has been taking us through the Old Testament, we have seen the kings go back and forth from good and following God to bad and not. This human condition is just that: human.
This is why we need to be aware and understand ourselves and our humanness. Then it’s up to us to be intentional in our actions and learn how to be better.
Often, we get into routines and habits and don’t realize what we’re doing. A good example of how this happens and what we can do about it is in 2 Chronicles 34:14-15; 29-33. In the Scripture, Hilkiah discovers the Book of the Law in the Temple. It is then shared with King Josiah who makes changes and promises to do what’s right.
The best example of how to be a good dad (or mom) is our Heavenly Father and we learn this by reading His Word.
Regardless of what our father here on earth is like, God is our Heavenly Dad. Sure, we wouldn’t have been born without an earthly father. But, the same is true for our Heavenly Father.
I hope you had a great Father’s Day. Going forward, I hope you strive to be more like our Heavenly Father.