DADS!

I saw the sweetest thing yesterday.  It was a dad taking his car full of kids to the crossing guard so they could cross the road to get to school.  Each child got out of the car, and they each one had some special form of interaction with their dad.  He was so sweet and took time to give them all what they needed from him.  You could tell that he paid special attention to make sure that each one felt that individual connection from their dad.  I watched with a smile in my heart because this is not a normal scene these days.

Somewhere along the way dad’s have missed the mark.  I am not sure if it has just been the pressures of the world or if they have just become dead beats as the world has proclaimed, but I want to say, what a shame I think it all is.

Today, television shows project “dad” as being some dumb character that just takes up space in the home.  This is such a contrast to the way television and the world used to perceive dad.  Such shows as “Father knows best” and “My three sons,”  or even “Leave it to Beaver,”  made dad to be the voice of the family, who always knew what to do and how to handle all of life’s problems.  This view has probably changed as more women have entered the work force and now have a big input to not only family matters, but financial contributions as well.   I am not really sure if this change has been worth the sacrifice that has been made, especially when our homes become somewhat out of order, especially at the expense of our husbands and children.

I know things can never go back to the way that they were, and we really should not want them too, but somehow we have got to find a balance.  I know that many women have to work nowadays and that is fine.  We all have to do what fits our needs the most.  However, the thing we have to do especially as women is bring back respect to our husbands and our children’s  fathers.   This comes with such a blessing.  In Malachi 4:6 b it says, “In that day He will turn the hearts of the fathers to their children, and the hearts of the children to their fathers.  Otherwise I will come and strike the land with a curse.”  I know that this turning has to be a work of the Spirit, but I would like to propose to women (especially wives and mothers), that we could do a lot more in this area of our home.    This whole book of Malachi is such a great read.  This is the book where it talks about the tithe and says “Test me in this,”  I would also like to say maybe we should give God a try in this matter too.  After God says “Test me in this,”  He goes on to say, “And see if I will not open the windows of Heaven and pour out a blessing so great you won’t have room enough to take it in.”  I want God’s blessing!  Nothing else will do!  However, His blessing comes with an action, and that action is giving.  So whether in money, time, actions or words,  we have a responsibility as the people of God to live lives with Kingdom Agenda, not as the world lives or acts, but the way we live is opposite because we don’t take, we give.  We don’t hate, we love.  We don’t get even, we pray.  Not easily done this Kingdom way of life, but well worth the effort.