Americans celebrate Father’s Day every year in June. This day, like Mother’s Day, is a day to celebrate and remember our fathers or father figures in our lives. Unfortunately, many children have grown up without a father present in the home, leaving single mothers to raise their children alone. Some mothers became fathers, because the father decided to abandon his responsibility as a father. And some may have been rejected by the mother due to difficulties in the relationship. There are many reasons and some truths are not easy to assimilate, but we know that Satan’s role is to dissolve the family, dividing it on purpose. She knows that if the father is not present, the mother’s role in raising her children will be very difficult: financially, emotionally and physically. The absence of the father can result in his daughter seeking love and acceptance from men who will only use and abuse them. The father’s absence can also result in his son becoming angry and mistreating women who seek to love them. As our society continues to become more and more dangerous, evil, and loveless, the role of a father today is more desirable than ever.
The role of a father in the family is very important. His job is to support his family, working, disciplining and nurturing it. It is a sin for the man of the house to become lazy and not work. Because Ecclesiastes 3:13 says; “May everyone eat and drink, and find satisfaction in all their work, this is a gift from God.” And Psalm 90:17 also says; “May the favor of the Lord our God rest upon us; confirm the work of our hands for us; yes, confirm the work of our hands.” When the father works, he also teaches his children the importance of working and living a deceptive life. God said that if we don’t work we shouldn’t eat. And by showing your children how to be a disciplined worker, your children should grow up doing the same.
Disciplining children is an important role of a parent. Your job is to teach and instruct them in the ways of God. By teaching and showing them how God wants them to live, you are sure to raise respectful and God-fearing children. Proverbs 13: 1 says; “A wise son listens to his father’s instruction, but a scoffer does not listen to rebuke.” And Proverbs 22: 6 says; “Train a child in the path he should follow, and when he grows up he will not stray from it.” If the father does not educate his children correctly, they will lead unhappy and dangerous lives. And Satan will become your teacher. Children can find it on the streets, joining gangs and others will do bad things to land them in jail. They may even die as a result because they did not receive the loving discipline they were looking for. They chose to disrespect and take from others who did not care. Daughters may end up giving away their bodies at a young age and having children out of wedlock. Or seek love and acceptance from “father figures” found in the world and on the Internet. But as long as your children receive the love and discipline that God requires, the world will not drive them away. Because Ephesians 6: 4 says; “Parents, do not exasperate your children, but bring them up in the education and instruction of the Lord.”
The protective love of a father is the most important role he has. Children are born seeking love and acceptance from their parents. Because the father is the head of the family, they consider him the primary caregiver. Usually the mother is primarily responsible for raising her children, but the father’s role as a loving caregiver should resemble the same example that God sets for us. In Genesis 22: 1-14, God asked Abraham to sacrifice his only son, Isaac. God was testing Abraham to see how much he loved both God and his son. Just before Abraham was about to sacrifice his son, an angel of the Lord told him to stop. He knew that Abraham loved God so much that he would be willing to sacrifice his son for God. Because Abraham was obedient, God blessed him and his descendants forever. This scripture gives us a perfect example of a father’s love for God and his son. Although we do not understand why Abraham would sacrifice his son, his faith in God and his love for him prevailed. Psalm 103: 13-14 says; “As a father pities his children, so the Lord pities those who fear him; because he knows how we were formed, he remembers that we are dust.” There are many parents who are present in the lives of their children and God is pleased. Although they are not perfect, they know that they have a very important role to play in the lives of their children. From providing for them to disciplining and caring for them, these traits can provide today’s children with a more blessed future. God the Father gave his only son Jesus. And he died so we can live forever. He gave the ultimate Father-Son sacrifice. If today’s parents only lived to be like Jesus every day, then our children will be saved and will live prosperous lives. If you grow up respecting God and your parents, then it wouldn’t matter what today’s society tells you. Because Matthew 4:17 says; “And a voice from heaven said:” This is my Son, whom I love; I am very pleased with him. Amen.
