By Timothy Z. Witmer
1. Love God
The most important way to love your children is to love the Lord. If there is anything that we want our children to “catch” from us it is heartfelt responsiveness to the greatest commandment “to love the Lord with all our heart, mind, soul, and strength.”
Father’s Day is a little like a birthday in that we usually get to be where we want to be and to do what we want to do. Since Father’s Day is always on a Sunday the “church thing” always comes up. On this day of doing what you want to do and being where you want to be, does that include gathering with God’s people to worship the Lord? If you are on vacation, does it include finding a place to worship with your family—or is being away an excuse to skip church?
I’m just asking because Father's Day is a day when you can show your children what is really important to you. I am grateful to have had a Dad who, though embarrassed to receive cards, always led by example. Though he worked six days a week as a rural mail carrier, plus a few days a week doing accounts payable for a local company, there was never a doubt where we would be on Sunday morning—we were going to church! I didn’t appreciate his commitment then but have grown to do so over the years.
Going to church isn’t all there is to loving the Lord, but don’t underestimate what your example means to your kids—whether good or bad.
2. Love Your Wife
The second way to love your kids is to love your wife. The loving shepherd-dad, therefore, is concerned for the security of his children and there’s no better way to promote that than to love their mom.
Do your children hear you express your love and appreciation for your wife? Verbal expressions of affection aren’t easy for some men but it is important for your children and for your wife. Do your children see you show your affection toward your wife?
We are to love our wives as Christ loved the church. His love is heard in his Word and seen in his sacrificial work on our behalf. This is why we can be secure. Let your children hear and see your love for their Mom.
Taken from The Top Two Ways Dads Can Love Their Kids by Timothy Witmer, Copyright © June
10, 2014. Used by permission of Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers,
Wheaton, IL 60187, www.crossway.org
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