Happy Father's Day: A Tribute

What’s so special about being a dad? When I woke up this morning to my first father’s day and watched my daughter quietly sleeping in her crib, this question penetrated my thoughts. I have not had much time to discover what all will be required to raise a little girl, but I do know the deep love and passion that I have for her. It’s like I have known her all of my life and honestly I cannot think of a day when she was not in my life. When I leaned over to kiss her, I gently whispered in her ear, “You are a marvel; daddy loves you so much.”

Being the financial provider for the home, my job is to make sure that the bills are paid and food on the table along with many other responsibilities. But does this mean that I am a dad. I read a bumper sticker that read “Anybody can be a father, but it takes someone special to be a daddy.” What kind of heritage will I leave for my children? Our little ones look to us to teach them about our beliefs and values. This is the true test of a father, and we fail them when we neglect our responsibility to teach them about the meaning of life. Living a wholesome, godly life and directing their lives back to our Father is the greatest mission that we will ever have in this life. What an opportunity given to fathers!

“Behold, children are a gift of the Lord, The fruit of the womb is a reward like arrows in the hand of a warrior, so are the children of one's youth. How blessed is the man whose quiver is full of them; they will not be ashamed when they speak with their enemies in the gate." (Psalm 127:3-5)

Being an involved father is every man’s battle. We enter the front line each day armed with a mission to protect our homes. Our children are looking for answers. Living in a culture where everything is relative, we are to stand in the gap. This is not the time to be Freud’s description of a father: like a Sphinx— heavy, silent, massive, and mysterious. Standing in the gap requires courage and strength. True fathers lead, guard, and protect setting the direction of their home.