For Dads Only

Fathers of the family, how do you teach your children to honor the Lord, your God? I believe the first step in this process is to ensure your children show respect to you and to your wife. If they are to honor God, children must first honor their parents. In honoring parents, the home becomes an atmosphere of Christ-centeredness and puts the parent/child relationship in proper perspective.“Children, obey your parents” is the New Testament equivalent of the fifth commandment: “Honor thy father and they mother.” This responsibility of bringing children to obedience is given to the parent. Dear Dad, as you train your child to obedience, point to his or her heart (from which all behavior flows) and teach association of this action and attitude with obedience to God.  Andrew Murray says, “Train a child to master his will by giving it up to his parents’ command, and he acquires the mastery to use it when he is free.” As the child is obedient, the parent (and God) is honored.Andrew Murray says that teaching children manners is the most important thing in education, more so than learning. Do you agree?  I am not alluding to Emily Post’s book on etiquette as some outward sign that masks an unclean heart.  Rather, I am talking about manners as a way to show honor and respect for another who is made in the image of God.  A lack of good manners shows a lack of concern for the feelings of others, bringing about a selfishness and indifference toward another human being.How are good manners and obedience taught in the home?  Dear Dad, they are modeled.  Children reflect what is caught more than what is taught; in other words, your actions speak louder than your words. Are you showing honor to God by your reverence to Him in your word and deed as you live in God’s presence and walk worthy of your calling as head of your family? Are you leading by example as your show honor and respect to your wife? Are you quick to follow up if a child’s command from his or her mother is not obeyed?I recall a situation which gives understanding to my point of requiring obedience and therefore showing honor and respect. Upon visiting my daughter and son-in-law, I was tending to my two-year-old granddaughter so they could bond with their newborn. As I was preparing to give their firstborn her bath, we were walking up the steps together. Lazily, she was demonstrating that she wanted to be carried and was whining about it.  Carrying her up steps was not the order of the day, so I told her she was quite capable of walking up the stairs. A quibbling ensued; her daddy overheard, and he was quick on his feet to usher her up the stairs and into her bedroom. Discipline was applied, love was given unconditionally, and a short talk on respect and honor for Gigi followed.  Upon exiting from the room, an apology from the lips of a little one was offered (along with tears of sorrow).  Naturally, love and forgiveness from the heart of this Gigi was offered back.  Later, after those little ears were tucked lovingly in bed, I thanked my son-in-law for requiring that she show respect through obedience.  It was not that I needed to be shown it, but that SHE needed to show it, for her own good out of obedience to me and ultimately, out of obedience to God.  In showing obedience to me, she was honoring God. It takes consistent effort and hard work to require first-time obedience.  Often times, it is inconvenient, involves sacrifice, and is disruptive. May God give you the wisdom, energy, and grace to persevere in your pursuit of obedience to Him![embed]https://youtu.be/ZfpQCGeno0o[/embed]