June is the month we set aside to honor our fathers. It’s a time to reflect on, and then celebrate, the role our fathers play (or have played) in our lives. Instead of just one article focusing on dad this month, we’ll be discussing different elements of fatherhood throughout the month of June with a couple of guest dad bloggers who are living in very different seasons of fatherhood. I’m looking forward to their personal perspective and how they’ve applied what the Bible says about the importance of fathers.
When looking at the what Scripture tells us about fatherhood, the idea of honoring our fathers is an important theme throughout the Old and New Testaments.
(Ephesians 6:1-3) “Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. Honor your father and mother that it may go well with you and that you may live long in the land.”
Paul took this directly from the Ten Commandments! It’s the first commandment that also has a promise attached to it, so we can see how important honoring our parents is to the heart of God.
Proverbs 10:1 teaches us that, “A wise son makes a glad father.”
Ok, but what makes us wise? The Bible tells us wisdom comes when we honor God our Father!
Sort of full circle, isn’t it?
Solomon, known for his gift of God-given wisdom writes: (Proverbs 6: 20-22) “My son, keep your father’s commandment, and forsake not your mother’s teaching. Bind them on your heart always; tie them around your neck. When you walk, they will lead you; when you lie down, they will watch over you;and when you awake, they will talk with you.”
We are so thankful for our good men; husbands and fathers, whom God has blessed us with. They are divinely designated as our first teachers of faith and our examples of courage and honor. Here is a poem that I thought really summed up the role of our earthly fathers:
With these three words,
“Dear Heavenly Father,”
I begin my every prayer,
But the man I see
While on bended knee
Is always my earthly dad.
He is the image
Of the Father divine
Reflecting the nature of God,
For his love and care
And strong faith laid bare
Pointed me to my Father above.
–Mary Fairchild
How has your father help shape who you are today? How is your husband positively impacting your children’s faith? We’d love to hear about your relationship with your dad and your kids’ relationships with their dads!
Originally published in June of 2012.
About the Author: Lisa Strnad is a freelance writer/blogger, who regularly contributes to What’s in the Bible? and Jelly Telly. She is a homeschooling mom of two, who works independently in Christian media in the areas of writing, promotions and marketing. She lives with her husband and children in Nashville, TN. You can follow Lisa at her personal blog, Talking Like A Girl
