I haven't written a post about fathers, so, no time like the present! :)
Holiday's in honor of parents have
been customary since ancient times, but in the Western world they have
only become official in the 20th Century. In this country, Mother's Day
was first established by an act of Congress in 1914. It took quite a
while longer (1972) for fathers to receive their own holiday after
acceptance slowly grew from initial observances in the early 1900's.
It
is surely fitting to have special days to express love and gratitude
for our parents. After all, the fifth of God's Ten commandments begins,
"Honor thy father and thy mother". (Exodus 20:12) This was later
affirmed and even reinforced through the apostle Paul when he further
promised, "It may be well with thee, and thou mayest live long on the
earth" (Ephesians 6:3)
But what exactly does it take to be truly
worthy of such honor? Biblically speaking, it starts when parents have
children; they are then exhorted to "train up" their children "in the
way [they] should go". (Proverbs 22:6) However, godly, instruction is
primarily the responsibility of the Christian father, applied with a
gentle and girm hand to raise his children "in the nurture and
admonition of the Lord". (Ephesians 6:4) And such an environment
naturally begins with the father's own commitment to godly living and
godly leadership.
Perhaps the greatest incentive for godly living
is the example fathers set for their own children. From king Solomon we
know that "children's children are the crown of old men; and the glory
of children are their fathers." (Proverbs 17:6) Children do indeed
"glory" in their father when his example is good and godly, and they
will likely desire to follow his moral and spiritual model throughout
their own lives.
One of the many joys of fatherhood is not only
to have children, but, Lord willing, to see grandchildren as well.
Honor-able men work hard to be able to leave an inheritance to their
children, and, through them, to their grandchildren. For a "good man
leaveth an inheritance to his children's children." (Proverbs 13:22)
Obviously,
circumstances may not make it possible for fathers or grandfathers to
leave a material estate to their descendants. Therefore, promise such
as these must ultimately be understood in the spiritual sense. Even a
poor man can leave a good inheritance of love, counsel, and a godly
life. Of course, the greatest of all gifts to pass on to your children
is to have led them to saving faith in our Creator, the Lord Jesus
Christ. This most precious heirloom will last forever.
In this
sense, even men who are biologically childless can have spiritual
children as they bring others to Christ. Paul, for example, could call
Timothy "my dearly beloved son" (2nd Timothy 1:2) and reminded the
believers at Corinth that "in Christ Jesus I have begotten you through
the gospel." (1st Corinthians 4:15) Then what a joy it is when someone
we have led to Christ begins to lead others to Him! In the great family
of God, these spiritual grandchildren are our "children's children" and
constitute a beautiful and everlasting "Crown" of fatherhood.
