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June 2006
In a recent Father of the Year contest, one child wrote, "I depend upon my dad like a rose depends on water and sun." Another said, "When my dad holds me tight I feel like I am wrapped up in my favorite blanket."  Father's Day is an opportunity to pay homage to a very special man -- our first superhero. He was the one who tucked us in at night and chased away the boogey men; he was the one who taught us how to throw a ball, tie a knot, and bait a hook. It was his voice that we heard above the noisy crowd whenever we connected with a pitch or scored a goal, and it was his proud smile that we looked for amidst the sea of faces at every school recital, awards banquet, and graduation ceremony. He was our protector -- both strong and wise -- providing a firm shoulder to lean upon, and insight to glean from, when it seemed as though our world was falling apart. And, with each passing year, we gain new appreciation for the rich lessons he taught and the priceless legacy he left behind.
Yet, Father's Day is not such a nostalgic time for everyone. Too many children in our nation are growing up in homes where the father is missing. The reality of this sad fact is reflected in these poignant submissions to that same Father of the Year contest. One young boy wrote, "I miss my daddy so much. It makes my heart cry at night. I need my daddy. He always said he would never leave, but he did." Another high school girl paints this sad picture, "My father lives in the only world that he has ever known, the world of loneliness and never-ending urge for one more beer. His office is bare. There are no pictures of family on his naked walls, only a tired out clock that's always running ten minutes behind." Indeed, the tremendous impact a father has upon his children is beyond measure. However, some have tried and found that, statistically speaking, a father's example in the home has an influence upon his children, which far outweighs any other -- even surpassing that of their mother, environment, and friends. That says a lot about the importance of a father's role, and it reminds me of God's clear instruction to fathers in Ephesians 6:4: 
Fathers, do not provoke your children to wrath, but bring them up in the training and admonition of the Lord.
So dads, remember, Father's Day is not a holiday that comes around once a year -- it's every day. We need to recognize the tremendous impact and sacred responsibility that we have been given to raise up our children in the ways of the Lord. As these little ones look to and lean upon us, how much more we need to be looking to and leaning upon Jesus. He is the One who will enable us to be Christ-like examples in our homes -- even if we never had that example when we were growing up ourselves. And remember, even the best earthly fathers will fail occasionally, but our heavenly Father never fails us. By teaching our children, through our words and deeds, to know the love and faithfulness of their heavenly Father, we are conferring upon them the greatest heritage that any dad could hope to impart. And, no matter how old they are, it's never to late to start teaching that lesson. that we should be called children of God! -1 John 3:1
In Him,
Lloyd Pulley Senior Pastor |
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Parenting - by Pastor Lloyd Pulley
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