The second most wonderful privilege of my life

When our kids travel from afar and we get together, we tell stories.  We laugh and I usually cry.  The things we remember are not the big moments.  It’s about Saturday morning pancake breakfasts, hilarious hijinks at the dinner table, the day to day experiences of the Scott Family. The trip to Disney does not come up much.  The kids remember life- that we loved, that we had time, that we were ‘family.’

It will be Father’s Day on Sunday.  I’ll remember my Dad (in Heaven now for 5 years!) and I will give thanks for my second most wonderful privilege in life – being a Dad! (First is being Bev’s husband.)

Dad, are you living your life in a way that honors God and blesses your kids?  The Bible says, "Fathers, do not exasperate your children; instead, bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord." (Ephesians 6:4, NIV) The Message says, "Fathers, don’t exasperate your children by coming down hard on them. Take them by the hand and lead them in the way of the Master."  God handed fathers a hard job.  We must teach our children, coach them, and lead them into adulthood.  Moms have an important role of nurturing, encouraging, bandaging skinned knees and soothing broken hearts.  Dads teach and discipline.  (Those roles overlap!)

The Lord does not waste a lot of words as He tells us that we need integrity, Dad!  "Don't exasperate your children ... lead them!"  If we tell our kids to live one way while we live another, we will confuse them, make the angry, and give them a reason to ignore us. Nothing disillusions a child more than the dawning realization that Dad does not keep his word, that he talks a much better Christian game than he lives!  

 Dad, you can talk about loving your neighbor, but nothing teaches that like taking a real interest in the broken and bruised that live around you.   You can talk about the importance of loving God, but when you pray with them,  when you take (not send them) to church,  when you 'do ministry with them' – your choices will give weight to your words.

You won’t get it right every time. Nobody does. That’s why God, our Father, gives us grace and forgiveness.  We are ‘becomers.’  We work at growing in Christ. When we get it wrong, we admit it – to the Lord first, and then to our family. Real confession of our sins and failure, offered without excuse, demonstrates honesty.  There is an upside for us, too. It is so painful to be honest about our failure, hopefully that will keep us from doing it again!

You never stop being a Dad to your children.  Our youngest is 30!  I get the privilege of offering advice, encouraging, and giving blessings.  I am no longer responsible for their discipline.  My adult kids answer directly to their Father in Heaven, and yet I am blazing a trail for them to follow.  

It is my desire, as long as God gives me life, to be the kind of man that causes my children to seek my friendship and wisdom.  As I am ‘fathered’ and led by God, inhabited by His Spirit, my desire is to continue to lead the way.  I want to be able to say, without any reservation:  "Imitate me, just as I imitate Christ." (1 Corinthians 11:1, NLT)

The word from the Word – 
"The righteous man leads a blameless life; blessed are his children after him." (Proverbs 20:7, NIV)  
"God-loyal people, living honest lives, make it much easier for their children." (Proverbs 20:7, The Message)
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