Love From A Father...
For A Father
The greatest commandment in the Scripture is this:
"Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength" (Deuteronomy 6:5). Dropping back to verse 2, we read,
"...so that you, your children and their children after them may fear the LORD your God as long as you live by keeping all his decrees and commands that I give you, and so that you may enjoy long life." The following verses state,
"These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up" (verses 6-7). Hebrew history reveals that the father was to be diligent in instructing his children in the ways and words of the Lord for their own spiritual development and well-being.
The father who was obedient to the commands of their Scriptures did just that. This brings us to a passage in Proverbs 22:6-11, primarily verse 6 which reads,
"Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it." To train indicates the first instruction that a father and mother gives to a child, i.e. his early education. The training is designed to open before the child the manner of life for which he is intended. To begin the child's education in this way is of great importance, just as a tree follows the bent of its early years.
A New Testament passage gives us a clear picture of the Lord's instruction to a father in relation to the rearing of his children. Ephesians 6:4 is a summary word of instruction to parents, represented here by the father, stated in both a negative and positive way.
"Fathers, do not exasperate your children; instead, bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord." The negative aspect of this verse indicates that a father is not to foster negative passions of their children by severity, injustice, partiality, or unreasonable exercise of authority. Harsh, unreasonable conduct towards a child will only serve to nurture evil in the heart.
The word "provoke" means to irritate, exasperate, rub the wrong way, or incite. This is done by a wrong spirit and wrong methods—severity, unreasonableness, sternness, harshness, cruel demands, needless restrictions, and selfish insistence upon dictatorial authority. Such provocation will produce adverse reactions, deaden the child's affection, check his desire for holiness, and make him feel that he can't possibly please his parents.
A wise parent seeks to make obedience desirable and attainable by love and gentleness. The positive aspect is expressed in a comprehensive direction—educate them, bring them up, develop their conduct in all of life by the instruction and admonition of the Lord. This is the whole process of educating and discipline.
The word "admonition" carries with it the idea of "putting the child in mind of," which is the act of reminding the child of faults (constructively) or duties (responsibilities according to their level of age and understanding.)
The Christian father is really the instrument in God's hand. The whole process of instruction and discipline must be that which He (God) prescribes and which He administers so that His authority should be brought into constant and immediate contact with the mind, heart, and conscience of the child.
The human father should never present himself as the ultimate authority to determine truth and duty. It is only by making God the teacher and ruler on whose authority—and in obedience to whose will—everything is done that the ends of education can best be attained.
"Keep an apple beside the rod to give the child when he does well." Martin Luther
Discipline in general education and culture must be exercised with watchful care and constant training with much prayer. Chastening, discipline, and counsel by the Word of God, giving both reproof and encouragement whenever needed is at the core of "admonition." The instruction proceeds from the Lord, is learned in the school of Christian experience, and is administered by the parents—primarily the father, and the mother under his direction.
Christian discipline is needed to prevent children from growing up without reverence for God, respect for parental authority, knowledge of Christian standards, and habits of self-control.
"All Scripture is given of God, and is profitable for teaching, reproving, correcting, and instruction in righteousness; that the man (or woman) of God may be completely equipped for all good works" (2 Timothy 3:16, 17).
This is the applicable biblical truth in regard to being a father. A father's first responsibility is to acquaint his children with the Scripture. The means and methods that fathers may use to teach God's truth will vary. As the father is faithful in role modeling, what a child learns about God will stand him/her in good stead throughout their earthly lives, no matter what they do or where they go.
A father should be patient and kind. He should never be envious or jealousy. He should not be boastful or conceited (arrogant and inflated with pride). He should not be rude (unmannerly) and never act unbecomingly.
A father should not insist on his own rights or his own way, because that would be self-seeking. He should not be touchy or fretful or resentful.
A Father should not rejoice at injustice and unrighteousness, but be glad when right and truth prevail. A father bears up under anything and everything that comes. He is ever ready to believe the best of every person, and his hopes are fadeless under all circumstances.
And a father's love endures everything and never fails.
HAPPY FATHER'S DAY.
I love you.
