God has placed a heavy responsibility on the father, to bring up his children in godly fear. Paul exhorts fathers to bring up the children in the training and instruction of the Lord. “Fathers do not exasperate your children; instead, bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord. (Ephesians 6:4)
Fathers are to share the gospel with our children at an early age so that they may come to a saving knowledge of our Almighty God. Show them they are sinners and need our Saviour. Share the gospel and invite them to believe in Jesus Christ as their personal saviour. Engage in regular bible reading at an early age. This could be through simple children’s books on passages from the bible. Show them the importance of keeping quiet time and prayer life. Have a regular bible time and pray with your children often. Fathers should emulate what Moses instructs the Israelite in Deuteronomy 6:6-9: “These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates.”
Start children off on the way they should go and even when they are old they will not turn from it. (Proverbs 22:6) Fathers, teach your child what God demands and expects of His child.
Fathers must lead by example. Be disciplined in your own daily bible time. Your conduct is important as children learn from our verbal and nonverbal behaviour. Be an example for your children.
Discipline your child when he disobeys or does things which are wrong:”Whoever spares the rod hates their children, but the one who loves their children is careful to discipline them.” (Proverbs 13:24)
Let us take heed lest our children grow wayward. To you who are fathers, may you take on this role as a trainer and instructor of God’s Word to teach His word seriously and raise up good and God-fearing Christians.
The father is not to frustrate his children. Do not place unnecessary burdens on your child with unreasonable demands or expectations. Instead, the father is exhorted to train and instruct his child to obey the commands and statutes that God requires of his child.
Father should take a proactive role in leading the family especially providing their spiritual needs. Father should not play a passive role and ought to act by faith the responsibility that God has placed on fathers and provide the leadership in the family.
Children, listen to your fathers. As a child, it can be hard at times to listen to, and honour your father. But if your father is following a godly example, it is important to heed what he has to say. God has made him your father for a reason, and you will be blessed for honouring him. We read in Exodus 20:12 “Honour your father and your mother, so that you may live long in the land the Lord your God is giving you.”
Let us as children encourage our Father by obeying, loving and appreciating them and letting them know what an important role he has played in your life.
May God grant Fathers wisdom, grace, strength as they take on the task of their sacred duty to provide for the physical, intellectual, emotional and spiritual needs of their children.