“Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger by the way you treat them. Rather, bring them up with the discipline and instruction that comes from the Lord.” v. 4 (NLT)
Being a Father is both fun and challenging. I am learning as my boys grow they are picking up all the good and bad qualities that I show off in front of them. The challenge as they develop is to lovingly teach them the way they should act. How I do this has big returns in the way they respond. For example, right now Josiah is starting to lie. We are in the process of teaching him why he/we shouldn’t lie. It’s a process that if we aren’t careful we could totally miss the opportunity to teach him this in a loving way and something he will struggle with his whole life. My role as a dad has huge impacts on my boys. Realizing this early will save me from heartache later.
Something to think about: When it comes to the way you interact with your kids, do you spend more time building them up or tearing them down? Here’s what I mean, are you always pointing out things they are doing wrong or encouraging them in the things they are doing right? I was encouraged and challenged yesterday by this thought. As parents we should spend 90% of our time building our kids up and 10% of our time correcting behavior.
It’s a great challenge that may seem unreasonable at first, but what do you have to lose if it does not work?
Today, if you’re a dad, try to spend some extra time with your kids. Encourage them by telling them the good things you see going on in their life. Example, Josiah is only 4 but I try to encourage him daily with Words of Life. Give it a try, it will bless you and them and bring your relationship closer.
Dan Gould 