Fathers: You Need to Make Men

Tomorrow is Fathers' Day.  So, much like I did for Mothers' Day, I want to tell you a little about what my Dad did right.

My Dad played a major role in making me who I am today and was very intentional, I believe, in fulfilling that role.  Let me tell you a few of the things that my Dad did for me.

My Dad prayed with me every night.  Every night before bed my Dad and I prayed.  This taught me several things including: the importance of regular prayer, the power of prayer, how to approach a God that is both one's father and Lord, and it gave me an insight into what my Dad cared deeply about.

My Dad read me Bible stories.  We had a children's Bible story book and my Dad would read me those stories.  My parents also got me cassette tapes of Bible stories that I listened to every night.  Without this I don't think I would have the understanding of the Old Testament that I do today.

My Dad talked to me about sex.  I remember the day when my Dad said we were going on a car ride... the longest car ride ever!  My Dad told me about every thing from sex to dating to premature ejaculation... he held nothing back.  Now, I hated that car ride then.  He was not afraid of the subject and he showed me that day that there was nothing we couldn't discuss, that sex wasn't strange and that real men valued purity.

My Dad showed me how to deal with failure.  My Dad failed when I was looking many times and this by no means made me think less of him.  I admired watching his reaction to failure.  When he swore in front of me, he appologized and asked for forgiveness.  When he talked bad about my mother, he appoligized and asked for forgiveness.  When he made the wrong move with someone in the church, he worked to make it right.  He wasn't always gracious, but often he was.  I learned from watching my Dad fail how men deal with failure.

Titus 2:6-8 "...encourage young men to be self-controlled.  In everything set them an example by doing what is good.  In your teaching show integrity, seriousness and soundness of speech that cannot be condemned, so that those who oppose you may be ashamed because they have nothing bad to say about us."

Men raise up young men of God.  If you are a father be one like my Dad was to me.  If you are not, do what Paul tells us to do in Titus.  If you are a young man, seek out that sort of instruction.  The world today needs more men... real men. 

Thank God for your Dad and raise up and be men of God today.