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From a father...
As we celebrate Fathers’ Day this month, I have selected a passage from Proverbs 4:1-5, written by a father to his children:
My children, listen when your father corrects you. Pay attention and learn good judgment, for I am giving you good guidance. Don’t turn away from my instructions. For I, too, was once my father’s son, tenderly loved as my mother’s only child. My father taught me, “Take my words to heart. Follow my commands, and you will live. Get wisdom; develop good judgment. Don’t forget my words or turn away from them.” (NLT)
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There are 6 things about fatherhood that come to my mind when I read this passage:
Friendship – I sense love and friendliness in the way the father communicates with his children.
Affirmative – The father sounds affirming because he too was once a son to his own parents. He knows he needs to affirm his children in order to build their confidence.
Teach – The father recognises his responsibility to teach his children, which involves correction, good guidance, instructions and impartation of good judgments.
Head – He learned what it takes to be a loving leader of the family from his father and mother.
Exemplary – Children learn best through good modelling. Later, he wrote in, “Good people live right, and God blesses the children who follow their example.” (Proverbs 20:7, CEV)
Resourceful – In order for the father to lead, affirm, show and teach, he got to be resourceful. Every Hebrew father knows that unless he is committed to read, memorise and obey the commandments of God, he is unable to pass them on to his children. Fathers, I urge you to take time to read and study God’s Word daily.
What about children? Apostle Paul has this to tell you, “Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. "Honor your father and mother" – which is the first commandment with a promise – “that it may go well with you and that you may enjoy long life on the earth." (Eph 6:1-3)
To all the fathers, I would like to wish you BLESSED FATHERS’ DAY! |
