My husband and his consistent godly ways -- a true renaissance man
A renaissance man is one who has wide interests and is
expert in several areas. As I thought
about Father’s Day, I wondered how many dads are interested or expert in the
lives of their children. The Scripture
from Ephesians 6: 4 (NKJ) came to mind: “And you fathers, do not provoke your
children to wrath, but bring them up in the training and admonition of the
Lord.” What gain is it for a dad to satisfy
his intellect, obtain the respect of the whole world, but lose his own
children?
He knows about science, history and math;
He knows about cooking, too.
In ways of the world he’s unsurpassed,
But the value of kids he eschews.
How can a dad avoid exasperating his children? What makes a “well-rounded man?”
·
Tell your child he’s a blessing; offer
encouragement and help with things that are hard for him. Write little notes and put them on his
pillow, in a lunch box, or send texts.
(Make sure they are encouraging!)
·
Speak kindly; don’t tell him he’s a big fat
idiot, a loser, who will never amount to anything. Never shame him in order to try to get him to
change—especially in front of others, where you think you may have more
leverage to bend him to your will. Find
something good to say to and about your child.
·
Nurture an emotional connection with your
child. Pay attention to him and be
friendly. Love your child; have
compassion for him as he learns to grow into adulthood. Don’t demand perfection of him; he will feel
exasperated as he continually fails to meet your impossible standards.
·
Have fun with your kids; allow yourself to act
silly and participate in their childhood games.
Go on walks with them, plan a picnic, go to the zoo, vacations,
etc. They will always remember those
good times.
·
Be generous as much as possible; don’t be stingy.
If you tell your kid he’s a financial
burden, he will feel anxious and sad.
Give him some spending money once in a while and let him have the joy of
buying something himself.
·
Never physically (or verbally) abuse your
child! Such wounds go deep into the soul
and follow them through life – usually producing a life of bitterness,
estrangement, and more abuse from him to others. Harsh and unjust punishment is the fertile
seedbed of violent criminals in our society.
The book of Proverbs is full of advice from a father to his
child. The apostle Paul was a spiritual
father to Timothy, Titus and others.
Timothy 4:7-8 (NKJ) says, “But reject profane and old wives’ fables, and
exercise yourself toward godliness. For
bodily exercise profits a little, but godliness is profitable for all things…”
In my opinion, a godly father is a true renaissance
man. Happy Father’s Day to all you dads
out there! Be the leader in your home;
set the example.
Copyright © 2014 by
Elaine Beachy
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