Dads…Read This

Eph 6:4 "And you, fathers, do not provoke your children to wrath, but bring them up in the training and admonition of the Lord." NKJV

Wow. Before I began writing today I looked up some words in Strongs. I looked up "provoke", "bring them up", "training" and "admonition". What did I find? We Dad's have a huge responsibility. I would venture to say that if we do what this verse charges us to do, we will see our kids walking in the truth as adults and they would be doing this with their kids.

I think that it is huge that this is given to fathers to do. It doesn't say: "Mothers…bring them up". This responsibility is for Dads. This responsibility lays squarely at our feet. God expects believing Dads to do this with their kids. And what does He expect?

Don't provoke your kids to wrath. I know that when my kids were growing up, I could get impatient. I especially got impatient with Elise's study habits. One night, and I remember this like it was yesterday, she was sitting at the piano and I told her to get studying. I told her that if she continued in her study habits she could expect to really screw up in college. Now that is encouraging, isn't it? Those are words that should exit a Dad's mouth…words of edification…promoting her growth. Not! Well, who was right? Did she know what she was doing or was I just trying to squeeze her into my little mold? She graduated as the Salutatorian in High School. Then she went to college. You think that my "encouragement" would end. No. I had to keep going. She started as an art major. I thought this was cool because both she and Mich are very artistic. She went through her first year and did very well…and then something happened. God invaded. She wanted to change her major to nursing. Was I encouraging? Did I say…"Great, whatever you want"? No. I had to hassle her. What a dummy I am. Who was right? Again, she graduated with a nursing degree with honors and is working in her nursing field right now. I am sure that I could give other examples about dumb stuff I did with Mich too. I am just thankful that God protected Mich and Elise from my stupidity and they were not provoked to anger, to discouragement, to exasperation.

What are we as Dads supposed to do? Bring our kids up in the training and admonition of the Lord. Bring them up means to nourish to maturity. Training means the whole education of our kids in their mind and morals that includes cultivating the soul by correcting mistakes and curbing passions and giving them instruction that increases their purity. Admonition means exhortation. In sum, it means that Dad's need to disciple their kids. I wonder how we are doing? Are we nourishing our kids to maturity. To nourish means to feed them good spiritual food. Do we? Do we even think about it? Do we spend time nourishing ourselves so we can feed our kids? This is very similar to husbands love your wives, sanctify your wives with the word. We should be doing the same thing with our kids.

And how are we doing on the training end where we educate their minds and establish their morals. What are our kid's passionate about? Sports? Clothes? Popularity? Grades? Money? Or God and His word? What they see and hear is what they will catch and live. I hope that is what happened on my end.

Even now as I think back about how my girls were raised, I know that I should have done a better job. I thank God He is gracious and merciful and that my girls are godly women now. Apparently, I (and especially my wife) did something right. One thing I know…God is faithful.