Father’s Day. A day that was enshrined by the child/children of a certain father that made his whole life count so much for them.
Father’s day used to evoke those warm, soft and tender memories of childhood. Of fathers playing catch with their sons. Of fathers teaching their boys how to play rough and little girls how to be competitive.
These days, the children are so hard pressed to come up with any wonderful memories of Dad from their recollections.
Fathering is a very noble task – and a very challenging one. A task that would drive you down on your knees as the overwhelming events come your way. Many of the fathers have abandoned the privilege of being a male guardian of a child. A senator in the US files a bill on fatherhood every year. And every year that bill is outrightly rejected by his colleagues. In that bill, he seeks for the education of fathers to equip them in becoming better fathers to their children.
Almost 50% of the children are growing up without a father figure in their lives. That is a staggering statistics. A whole generation has grown up not knowing what it is like to experience paternal love.
Are you a father? Are you a male guardian? Are you a male caregiver to someone? Are you a father figure to anyone? Do not underestimate the effect of your paternal love to your children. Done lovingly, it could really build up the life of a young person. Done recklessly, and see the tragic results right unfurl right before your eyes.
Choose to become a better father now.
How will your children remember you? Will they remember the long walks and the funny memories with you or will they remember how angry you had been?
Will your children remember your self-sacrificing love and care or will they remember your self-centeredness?
Will they remember how much you loved them and their Mom , or will they know for certain that they were not loved at all? Will they remember your faithfulness or will they wonder how it is like to have a father faithful to his wife?
Will they say that you gave them time – or that you were married to your job and they were relegated to the backseat of your priorities?
Will they remember you as a loving father who spoke kind words and ushered encouragement when they were weak? Or will they remember your harsh words and your silent treatment?
Will they remember your generosity as you lovingly provided for their needs, or will they remember the poverty they experienced because you did not care to provide for their needs?
Will your children remember you on Father’s Day or will they try to ignore this day as if this was not relevant to them?
How would you like to be remembered as a father?
If you are planning to be a father someday, now is the time to think through these things. If you are a father now, it is high time to examine your fathering skills and adjust where necessary. It is never too late to learn to love, to give, to share so that you will be a loving father that God has designed you to be. If you are already a grandparent and your children and their children’s hearts are turned away from you – it will take a lot of time, hard work, humility and prayers, but things could still change for you.
It is never too late. Choose to become a better father now.
