TUESDAY April 5, 2022

A Father’s Important Role

Fathers, do not provoke your children, lest they become discouraged.
Colossians 3:21

The father has a vital role in the home in regards to his children. He is to love, provide for and nurture them. A father must not provoke his children. Provoking a child happens when a father acts like a sergeant––overly stern. If he disciplines his children when he is angry, the children will often become bitter and rebel. Teenagers tend to rebel, and they will keep a parent on their knees to pray. As a father, sit down with your child to explain to them why they are being disciplined.

Teach them in loving ways so they understand why they are being disciplined. Another way a father can provoke and discourage his children is by always criticizing and putting them down. Seriously, they will feel irritated and like they cannot do anything right. You will cause them to become exasperated. Fathers, you will drive your children away if you remain critical. You will discourage your children to a point that they will lose trust in you and look somewhere else for love and acceptance.

Unreasonable demands can also provoke a child. This happens when a parent asks things of a child that are impossible to accomplish. They will feel like a failure. Also, if a father disrespects his children, his children, in return, will disrespect him. An additional area of discouragement is when a father shows favoritism toward one child over another. The other children will feel rejected. If a parent is overly protective, a child can become discouraged. Trust your children, give them freedom, and allow them to make mistakes. They can learn from them.

Think about your children. Are they discouraged because of the way you have been treating them? Ask God to help you to be a loving parent. Children like to be loved and held. They like their dads to be at baseball, soccer or football games. This is what fathers should do.

The father is a debtor to his child, and owes him love, provision and nurture. The child is a debtor to his parent, and owes him honour and obedience.
~William Gurnall~

For more from Raul Ries, please visit SomebodyLovesYou.com!