Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.

Ephesians 6:4

The idea of fatherhood isn’t all that favorable in some circles today. Before she became a follower of Christ, Rosaria Butterfield “believed that men and women were interchangeable in all ways.” However, the Bible has plenty to say about fatherhood including the fatherly character of God. We have a responsibility to the next generation and Paul addresses four concerns. in the single verse above.

• Dads are not to build up hostility and anger in their kids. Don’t frustrate their growth through discouragement, unrealistic expectations, favoritism… I imagine this part of the list can grow longer.
• Dads, it is our responsibility to pass on our faith and raise our children to know God. It is more than what we say, because when it comes to how we live our lives, as I’ve heard Chip Ingram and others say, “more is caught than taught.”
• Dads, we are to bring up our children pointing them toward intentional spiritual discipline. Are we being as intentional in teaching our kids about God as we do with education or sports or hard work?
• Dads, we are to instruct our kids in the Lord. Notice that Paul doesn’t place the burden of spiritual instruction on mothers but on fathers. How many of us have relied on Mom to do the heavy lifting here?

No matter if your kids are still home or not, you’re still a parent and there is still Godly parenting to be done. Let’s get to it.