To Father

Fathering is so much more than the mere siring of a child and our culture often cheapens what it means to be a true Father.

The word Father is a word of action that encompasses loving - selfless action, intervention, courage, commitment, sacrifice and endurance.

Fathering is about rejecting passivity and getting involved, intervening and even INVADING – with fierce love - a situation and fighting for the welfare of a child who may be at risk or threatened by a bad influence.

Fathering is courageous leadership. It is strength under control. It is power directed toward the defense of those who are dependent and defenseless. It is displacing fear and uncertainty just by being there. It is being responsible and never quitting, never giving up  --- never leaving. It is about following through.

Fathering is looking for the greater reward - it is turning the other cheek to rejection from even loved ones when they don’t perceive the outcomes and consequences of their actions and the impact on the horizons of their lives that you, from experience, can see so vividly as you strive to protect them from themselves. 

It’s doing what’s right and doing the thankless thing, when no one else gets it - - - and to keep on doing it.

Fathering is a narrow, difficult, long walk. But it is a walk toward honor and profound joy and gratification in its steadfastness.

Father’s Day is the day we celebrate those who truly “Father”.

And that’s not easy. And we don’t always succeed every day.

Fathering is in many ways STRATEGIC in scope. I encourage all fathers to persevere for the rewards of Fatherhood because those rewards do not always come quickly.

The Bible says, in Proverbs 22:6 to "Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it."

It is a fact that Fatherly sacrifice, deeds and guidance may not yield fruit for decades. But take encouragement from the scriptures and have patience.

James 1:2-4 "My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing."

And isn't it really true that we are honored as a Father not just on Father's Day but on every day when our children display God honoring character?

Like;

• When our child chooses truth over anything false.
• When our child chooses purity over compromise.
• When our child chooses charity and sacrifice over self indulgence.
• When our child chooses virtue over going along just to get along and succumbing to peer pressure.
• When our child chooses hard work and responsibility over short-cuts.
• When our child respects his or her mother.
• When our child gives their heart and life to Christ!

In Psalm 127: 3-5 we find these powerful words, "Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord, the fruit of the womb is a reward. Like arrows in the hand of a warrior, so are the children of one’s youth. Happy is the man who has his quiver full of them; They shall not be ashamed, but shall stand up to their enemies at the gate."

So, like arrows – we prepare our children and launch them out into the world like flaming missiles of light – illuminating, glorifying and edifying to God and Godly principles. Our children are, after all, what we TRAIN THEM UP TO BE.

SO - 

If you have CLAIMED your children and walk the narrow walk I have described – Happy Father’s Day to you!

If you have stumbled as a Father and realize that you need to RECLAIM your children and are committed to doing it – Happy Father’s Day to you!

If, perhaps, you don’t have natural children but you have been presented with an opportunity to mentor or Father a child or to graft yourself into a broken family as the Father figure - and have taken up that responsibility – Happy Father’s Day to you!

God bless and all the best!

Bill