Practice What You Preach
Do you remember when your first child was born? Oh the joy that must have filled your heart as you looked at that tiny creature who was so helpless and dependent upon you. You may have felt inadequate but you knew that, regardless of what your child lacked in life, he or she would never lack love.
As this little one grew up, I’m sure you did your best to provide for needs. Food and clothing were always in sufficient supply and there was sometimes money left over to pay for a ballgame or a concert. What memories you must have built through the years.
As your child continued to mature, I suspect so did your determination to teach right from wrong, to save your child from making the same mistakes you did but I wonder if you were able to model what you tried to teach or if they were just words. See, children know when a parent is real and when he or she is not and the saying “More is caught than taught” is very true. When children are young, they want to be their parents. They look up to you and emulate you. They may not always like obeying you but they respect you. You are their world. They are observant though. If you tell them not to steal but you steal, they will notice. If you tell them not to yell but you yell at them or at your spouse, they make a note of it.
The world is full of hypocrites who know how to pour on the charm in public but are tyrants at home. A Christian home should be different than that. We should treat our children the same way we treat others. We should talk to them and instruct them the same way we want to be talked to and instructed. Your children may love you regardless of how you act but they will respect you and will better learn to be children of God if you show them how to do so. If you weren’t taught, don’t worry. The Holy Spirit is a great teacher and is more than willing to help.
To all you fathers who read my blog, I want to wish you a blessed Father’s Day. I’m sure you’ve heard the saying, “Anyone can be a father but it takes someone special to be a daddy.” Don’t neglect one moment of being a daddy to your children. Be the kind of daddy your children can emulate as you imitate Christ.
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