By Bobby Cates, Pastor, First Baptist Church Argyle
One of the things I was least prepared for in life has been parenthood. Next to being made new by faith in Jesus and being married to their mom, my kids are my greatest and most challenging adventure. The longer I am on this journey the more I realize I’ve got a lot to learn.
In light of Father’s Day, I’d like to share the few nuggets of wisdom I have gleaned, but not perfected, over the last decade.
Keep your promises. Your word matters to your kids. If they can’t trust you to do what you say, then they’ll have a hard time believing anyone will be honest with them.
Ask forgiveness. You’re going to fail. There’s no way around that. When you break a promise, lose your cool, or let an inappropriate word fly out, admit it. Say you’re sorry. Ask their forgiveness. Teach them how to make better choices by showing them how to deal with bad ones.
Treat their mom well. Value her as a person. Cherish her as one of the most influential people in the lives of your kids. Fight for her mental, emotional, and spiritual health. Sacrifice for her. Maker her second only to Jesus in the order of importance in your family.
Keep growing. Admit that there’s room for improvement, and then make improvements. Pursue truth. Race after integrity and wisdom. Understand your failings, and rely on God’s grace and provision to push past them. Do all of this where they can see it.
Don’t go it alone. Find a group of guys and run the race of fatherhood with them. Find a Jesus-loving church that cares about you and your family, and let them invest in you. We all need help. Find it, and provide it to others.
The Pastor’s Place features columns written by a different area church leader each month.Call 940-728-8284 for more information.
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