Fatherly Advice

Job 1:1

In the land of Uz there lived a man whose name was Job. This man was blameless and upright; he feared God and shunned evil.

What is a good dad? A man who makes money or protects his household? A good mechanic? Someone intelligent, or who spends time with his kids? One with “street smarts” or a good work ethic? Maybe you answered “Yes” to all of these. Maybe not… but what does the Bible say about what a father is supposed to be?

One example is Job, as in our verse above, who was blameless, upright (living for God) and not giving into sin. If we venture into more scripture, however, we can point to many other details that God left of a good dad. Sometimes we will see a provider who loves others, with joy, peace or wisdom. Sometimes we’ll see a man of prayer, patience and the spiritual leader of his household, or a man who makes sure he and his family are in church fellowship or one that ensures his kids know the word of God. 

One thing my dad did was teach my sister and me to praise God. I can remember riding in his truck when he would just break out in praise. He would say things like, “Praise the Lord,” “Praise Jesus,” “We love You, Jesus,” or “Hallalujah.” After each statement, he would wait for us to repeat what he said. No matter what, we were always refreshed and comforted by that act of praise. Today, I am still refreshed and comforted by that, both the memory of it and in doing it myself with my own family.

While there is no one who fits the bill perfectly except Jesus, a man who displays any of the above qualities is a man who deserves to be commended. This year for Father’s Day, instead of complaining about who your dad isn’t, thank God for what your dad taught you, either through a good example or a bad example. While you certainly pray for his shortcomings, try to recognize his qualities and give him encouragement along the way. To all you dads out there, thank you.