the power of a dad

After the reign of king David, Israel and Judah had a combined 39 kings rule over them before being sieged by Babylon and Assyria. The reign of these kings are documented in the books of first and second kings. Of the 19 kings of Israel, the bible calls all of them evil with the exception of Solomon(who didn't end up exactly stellar) and Jehu. Of the 20 kings over Judah, 12 were called evil and eight were either good, or at least not completely evil.

As I read through the accounts of these wicked kings, here is a phrase that was often repeated in some shape or form that really stuck with me.........I kings 15:3--"And he walked in all the sins that his father did before him, and his heart was not wholly true to the LORD his God" In almost every instance, how the Father of the current king lived and ruled, directly affected the leadership style, character, and relationship with God his son had.

Here's the point........what you model and transfer to your children through your behavior, is what they will become. As christians, we must attempt to connect our children to an incredible God who loves them, created them, and has a specific call and plan for their lives. Accomplishments, recognition at work, and material things are temporary. Your real success in life is measured by the legacy you leave thru your children.

I will take the next few posts to reflect on what I believe are the primary roles of a father. After being on a "retreat" with 29 other men, the prevailing issue for almost all of them were "wounds" that they endured in some form from their fathers. My dad wasn't perfect by any means, but I felt so blessed to have had a dad who loved me, spent time with me, and modeled the importance of church and spiritual things. Especially considering his dad passed away when he was only nineteen.

I am convinced that many of the social issues facing our generation are a result of fatherlessness. The statistics of children with no dad's in the home are staggering. Boys need a father to train them in godly character and responsibilities. Also to prepare him for his future role as father and husband. In the same way girls need guidance to know what to expect from a future husband. It must be modeled in her father first.

Here is a link to a heartbreaking story that backs up much of what I'm saying. It is a short article but powerful. A four year old boy is found wandering the streets with stolen christmas gifts and under the influence of alcohol. When authorities questioned his mother, she made this statement, "he wants to go to jail, because thats where his daddy is"