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“…..that he will command his children and his household after him…” (Genesis 18:19).
The word “command” shows us that Abraham was to lead his family as a general over his troops. As a father you are responsible to lead your wife and children.
Many times, the attitude adopted by fathers is the old, “do as I say and not as I do.” If we can make our voices lower and sterner, that should take care of things. Right? Wrong! If we are to command our homes, it must be done by an example of leadership.
A father comes to me and says, “I caught my boy smoking the other day. Can you believe that?” My reply is, “’Yes, sir, I surely can. He has watched you smoke all your life and he is only doing what he has seen.” Be careful of the example you set before your children.
This statement may seem to be a paradox, but is not. Proverbs 13:24 teaches that, “He that spareth his rod hateth his son: but he that loveth him chasteneth him betimes.”
According to the Bible, the way we show our love is by disciplining our children. A father tells me, “We do not discipline our children. We do not believe in it. We just sit down and have a talk with them.” That would be wonderful, but for the fact that they are sitting in my office because they cannot control their rebellious child. It is not popular in our society to discipline our children and there may be times you will feel all alone. Always remember, disciplining your child is not child abuse. NOT disciplining your child is child abuse!
(Please understand that talking with your child is a MUST. Using Time Out may be a method of disciplining of a child. Each of your children will be different and you must pray and find the way to reach their heart and turn them to God from rebellion. Do a personal study through the Bible on disciplining children and ask God to guide you.)
As a foster child, there were not many homes that would take me, and the ones that did wanted to give me back! (I do not know why. I was such a lovable child….or maybe not!) I am so thankful to my father, John Howeth, for not giving up on me. I gave him plenty of reasons to give up, but he never did.
A canoeing specialist named Bill Havens was said to be a sure winner in the 1924 Olympic Games in Paris. A few months before the Games, he learned his wife would give birth to their first child while he was away. Not wanting to miss this once-in-a-lifetime experience, he withdrew from the Games and stayed with his wife. Bill welcomed his son, Frank, into the world on August 1, 1924.
Bill and Frank forged an inseparable bond that included a love for canoeing. Twenty-four years passed, and the Olympic Games were held in Helsinki, Finland. This time, it was Frank Haven who was chosen to compete in the canoeing event.
The day after the competition, Bill received a telegram from his son that read: “Dear Dad, Thanks for waiting around for me to be born in 1924. I’m coming home with the gold medal you should have won.” It was signed, “Your loving son, Frank.”
Fathers, from beginning to end, stand with your children.