Fathers

Today is Father’s Day! Today was also the day for me to read Proverbs 17, because it is the 17^th of the month. That chapter of Proverbs speaks about children, fathers, and grandfathers in a verse or two. So, I feel it is only fitting for me to do a post about fathers and children.

"Children’s children are the crown of old men, And the glory of children is their father." Proverbs 17:6

Grandchildren are the crown of old men…. Grandfathers are an important part of life. I loved the one I had growing up. My mother’s father died before I was born, but my father’s father was around. He was able to even see my child. I would spend hours with him in his shop when we visited in the summers. He was always willing to tell me about the tools he was using and things he was doing in the shop. Once he built a little canon from old parts he had, he shot it on the 4^th of July. It put a fairly large hole (to a kid anyway) in tree trunk, which I thought was cool. Those days were and still are important to me. I miss him.

All people aren’t lucky enough to know their grandfathers, or they have grandfathers that are not willing to spend time with their grandchildren. I think that not only the children miss out on a vast part of wisdom and knowledge, the grandparent misses out too! Children’s children are your crown grandpa…. You can and will, whether you try or not, shape the lives of these little people in your life, you get to choose what influence you will be.  

Children look to their dad’s as heroes! Father’s are so important in a child’s life. They are their defense, shelter, protection, or they should be. They should be someone a child can count on in times that are good, bad, and when they are in trouble. Some fathers don’t get that, and some are only fathers through genetics. They do not know the joy they could know, in being a part of their child’s life.

Here is the thing I get from this… a father is the person who is an example to his children! Not just for this life, but also of who God the Father is…. Do you get that? That is VERY important. Your child will see God as a father just like you. So, if you are absent, or are not a good role model, and do not love unconditionally, then your child will see God like that too. That is if someone better doesn’t step up and show them different. Dads be there for your kids, show them a loving father because that is who my God is, and I know that is who He wants to be to our children.

There is one more group that I want to honor…. Mothers who are the only father their children know. It is hard to play both roles… and in hind sight I will say, I wish I had found someone to take on that role for me. Not in the form of a step-father but as just a Father figure, who could have shown my daughter about the right kind of relationship with men and God. I did the best I could in the roles I had… Moms if you are in the daddy role, for whatever reason, to you deserve kudos! If you can find a male role model for your child do it, your own father could be that. If that isn’t an option, find a friend, an uncle, a deacon or elder at your church, or a “Big Brother” who could help. Don’t let an absent dad be their only way to know who God is, because that is not who God is.

So, in closing…. fathers, grandfathers, and mothers you have a big role to play in the lives of your children. You have a choice in how you do that and in what influence you will be… Will you be there or not? Will you love unconditionally, and guide them to know who God is? It is Father’s Day…. Make a choice today!

Thanks for reading…. God Bless You All! Enjoy the videos!