3/29/2018
“Be watchful, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong. Let all that you do be done in love.” – 1 Corinthians 16:13-14
Over the past couple of weeks, we’ve been considering the influence of a father. In the above passage of Scripture, Paul gives us three qualities of a godly father. First, he is a man who is alert to the enemy and who stands firm in his faith in Christ. Second, he is a man who is strong in his character and who genuinely acts like a man. Finally, he is a man who does everything in love.
Love needs to be the driving force in our hearts as we engage with our wives and our children. John MacArthur writes, “Love complements and balances everything else. It is the beautiful, softening principle. It keeps our firmness from becoming hardness and our strength from becoming domineering. It keeps our maturity gentle and considerate.” We are not naturally loving creatures. And so, love, like spiritual strength, must come from the Lord.
Loving our wives
The most important thing we can do for our children is love our wives. What does this look like? Let your children see you be affectionate with your wife. I remember when my two boys were young, they used to love it when Creecy and I would flirt right in front of them. Of course, as they grew older, they acted like they didn’t like it. But deep down inside, kids love seeing their parents’ affection for each other because it provides a great source of security for a family.
Loving our children
The most important way we can love our children is by giving them our T-I-M-E! Do special things with your sons and daughters that show them how much you care for them. And make sure to be affectionate with both. Give your sons frequent hugs and show your daughters appropriate affection often.
Men – our families need us. Our children need to see godly men who are standing firm in the faith, acting like real men and doing everything in love.
