Growing up I didn’t have a Christian father. When I became a Christian at age 26, I took every opportunity to teach my Dad about the love of Christ. However, he wasn’t interested. I remember him telling me “If there are no golf courses in heaven, then I don’t want to go there.” He was more interested in golf than God! Later in life he had a change of heart for which I am forever thankful. I wonder sometimes if fathers realize the influence they are on their children. We have a saying “Like father, like son”. This principle is true with respect to our heavenly Father also. Ephesians 5:1 “Therefore be imitators of God as dear children”. Children probably learn more from watching and imitating than any other way. This is why it is so important for fathers to be good examples. Paul says we are not to “provoke” our children to wrath. Youth can become quite angry quickly. A Christian father tries his best to keep his children on a level plane.
We are to bring our young up in the nurture (training) and admonition of the Lord. Such isn’t possible without us educating our children in the Word of God. Christian fathers make it a point to see that their children are in Bible classes on every occasion of the church’s assembly. Questions like: “Are we going to Bible study” are never heard.
It is not easy being a faithful father in this day and time, but those who love the Lord will find a way. Jesus said “If you love Me, you will keep my commandments”.
Greely Kirkpatrick