What should be a father’s top priority?
Not every dad will agree on what belongs in that No. 1 spot, but I’m convinced that one goal should be near the top of every father’s list: modeling God’s character.
Many of our children’s ideas about God will be based on their relationships with us. If children grow up with an earthly father who is absent or emotionally distant, it will be much more difficult for them to view God as an actively involved heavenly Father.
If a dad is overly harsh and rigid, his children will likely see God as a judge who is quick to punish their sins. On the other hand, if a dad is engaged and loving, his children will more readily put their faith in a God who cares for them.
Whether we like it or not, our fathering will create impressions about God for our children, and it’s up to us to make the most of our opportunities.
We have great potential here. We can model qualities that will allow our children to have a more accurate picture of God’s character.
At first blush, this task seems impossible. After all, none of us come close to matching God’s perfection. My dad was not perfect either, but he made God vivid to me by how he treated me.
He was not condescending or negative; I respected him, and I learned to respect God.
How can we show our kids what God is like? Consider the attributes of God:
Does that sound like the kind of father you want to be? No doubt, that’s the kind of father your kids need.
Make every effort to reflect the character of God in your life—which means you should get to know Him. Then you’ll be able to give your children a glimpse of who God is as their Father.
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The Fruit of the Spirit Devotional is a free series of nine short videos to get you into God’s Word and inspire you to seek the Holy Spirit’s help in loving your spouse.
Carey Casey is an inner city pastor and a dynamic public speaker who is widely known as an ‘ambassador for fathers,’ as one of his life’s passions has been to help and inspire dads to be the best they can be. He is the founder and CEO of Championship Fathering and the former CEO of the National Center for Fathering. He served for nearly 20 years with the Fellowship of Christian Athletes, and also as a chaplain for the Dallas Cowboys under famed head coach Tom Landry. Carey is the author of two books, Championship Fathering and Championship Grandfathering, and the general editor of the book 21-Day Dad’s Challenge. He and his wife, Melanie, reside in Chicago and have four children and nine grandchildren. Learn more about Carey by visiting the Championship Fathering website.
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I hope these prayers lead you to pray for your child on a number of topics you might not have considered before.
One of the most effective parenting strategies is to simply take advantage of everyday opportunities to love our children and instill the right values.
Help your child embrace God as his or her heavenly Father.
