We need to restore fatherhood to its rightful place of honor. We praise fathers for their commitment to the economic well-being of their families, but we must also remind them that more than a paycheck is needed. A father’s loving leadership and partnership with his wife in the care and nurture of their children must be affirmed.
      Fathers must also be there to give a young son a sense of what it means to be a man, to tame adolescent boys, and to explain why honor, loyalty and fidelity are important. For a daughter, a father should be a source of love and comfort that will help her avoid surrendering her virtue in a degrading and fruitless search for love through premarital sex.
      To all fathers a clear message must be sent: ‘You are needed in the home, now, to stand with your wife in the important task of raising children and meeting your responsibility.’ ”
      —Dr. James Dobson and Gary L. Bauer from their book, Children at Risk

The Scripture says, “And, ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord” (Ephesians 6:4). Again, “Fathers, provoke not your children to anger, lest they be discouraged” (Colossians 3:21).

Fathers provoke their children to anger and discourage them by saying one thing and doing another; by always criticizing and never praising; by being inconsistent and unloving in discipline, and by showing favoritism in the home. Fathers can also discourage their children by making promises and not keeping them, and by making light of problems that, to the children, are very important. More than anything, fathers need to be Spirit-filled (Ephesians 5:18) so they can be sensitive to the needs and problems of their children.

I want to challenge all the fathers out there to become more involved in the lives of your children. I know how easy it is for us to get distracted by some project we’ve got going on, or the football game on television, or something else. Resist the urge, sit down with your children, and invest some precious time in them. It won’t be long before you’ll be reaping the rewards that come from being a godly role model in their lives. God bless you!