committed dads

It is important that we talk about manhood and family, and that we make a commitment to see that both are a success.  The first institution God created was the family.  God cares about families.  His plan is for our success, yet too many people go the opposite direction forgetting what character is, how to care for others and how to be successful in life.

Philippians 2:3-4  NLT

Don’t be selfish; don’t try to impress others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves.  Don’t look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others, too.

The answer for our homes is to seek God and to serve others.  But it begins with us.  Success begins with me.  I suggest that we need to be men of honor and of courage.  What does that look like?  What does God expect of us? 

God expects me to be faithful to my wife.  That seems to be a given.  Yet what we think, how we act and the way we deal with our wives and our children ought to lead them to know they can have confidence in my relationship, in who I am and my character. 

Malachi 4:6 
 NIV

He will turn the hearts of the fathers to their children, and the hearts of the children to their fathers; or else I will come and strike the land with a curse.

God called me as a dad to bless my kids.  That means I will step up to walk with my children through the good things and bad things of life as well as seek to win my kid’s hearts.  Our children love to get things from us, but what they really need is us.  They need our time and our attention.  They need us to be there for them.

Great dads SERVE their families.  Great dads BLESS their families.  Great dads PROTECT their families.  It is my job to do those things because God called me to be a dad to my kids.  No one else has that responsibility or authority for my children

Be diligent, forgive, and live with courageous.  Those three things will help us win the hearts of our kids.  In our lives growth brings diligence and helps us find purpose.  Yet the greatest things we can do to live with courage is to live outside of selfishness and help others win.  Specifically help our wives and our kids be winners.

Joshua 24:15  NLT

As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord. 

We are the only ones that can make that choice.  Sometimes we might be alone.  But when we chose to do what God called us to do, we have God on our side at that point.  God helps us win, gives us perspective and builds our confidence

Joshua 1:9 
 NIV

...Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.

Our children need desperately to see life and goodness.  Love and mentor your kids, and take the opportunity to see others who have no father as they desperately need help and direction.

I close by sharing with you a commitment I have made to my kids, and I challenge you to make the same commitment for you as a dad or a mom or an influencer of others.  Call out your children to live lives that matter for eternity.  Speak into their lives.  Bring out their potential.