Dale Byers
Put Dad In His Place
I am thankful for a loving, compassionate father and a very honorable
father-in-law. Both of these men taught me much about life and how to be a
good family man. Their principles of life and their examples have been of
great help to me as a father. It is essential that we maintain family life
with respect, honor and love. Learning to be a loving leader and sacrificing
servant are lessons every father learns only through the school of
hard-knocks. I have only the fondest memories of my dad and my father-in-law. My prayer is that I might leave a solid spiritual heritage to my sons that they might look back at the end of my life and measure my work as good. I dare not expect to be called the Greatest Dad or even the
World¹s Number One Dad, but if my family could continue on building their homes on the principles of God¹s Word, my life¹s goal will be fulfilled. I am so thankful for my sons and their families and the blessings they provided for my wife and me.
The American family situation has some problems. Many homes in our nation
are falling apart; rootless, with no long-term ties or commitments.
Communication has broken down and the lines of responsibility are all
confused. Duties that once were part of the family unit have been assigned
to other institutions. The family unit is the foundation of society, the
solid ground where social restraints are preserved, and through which strong
churches are built. A decreasing fraction of our nation today have normal
family characteristics with mother, father and children. The family tree is
no longer traceable in many situations.
The Bible is still God¹s book. If there is any hope for our nation it will
be found in the principles of the Scriptures. ³Marriage is honorable in
all, and the bed undefiled, but fornicators, and adulterers God will judge²
(Hebrews 13:4). Statistics reveal that couples who put marriage on a trial
basis will have a higher rate of failure. Sex apart from marriage has God¹s
stern warnings.
Since we are approaching Father¹s Day, perhaps we should distinguish between
being the biological sperm donor and a father. Even animals breed and
produce offspring. Any male animal can sire an offspring, but it takes a
special person to be a father and a dad.
Television adds and the trends of our culture have assigned the qualities of
men as imbeciles, unalert and worthless while women always are smart, in
control, alert and more valuable individuals. As men, we readily admit to
the great needs which we have of our wives and children. What wonderful
blessings they are to us.
I do think it is time to put Dad in his place. Not the place that society
has assigned him, but the place that God has given to him. The Scriptures
instruct children to honor him (Eph. 6:1-2) and wives are to reverence him
(Eph. 5:33). Not only are wives to reverence him, the Bible instructs wives
to obey him (Genesis 3:16: I Cor. 11:3; Eph. 5:22; Titus 2:5; I Peter
3:1-7). God said it. I only call it to your attention.
Now, if you think I am going to get on a ³kick² about wives not being
submissive to their husbands, you are wrong. God did not take a bone from
Adam¹s head for Eve to lord it over him; nor a bone from his foot for him to
trample her. God took a bone from Adam¹s side so Eve would be beside him;
the place closest to his heart. She was to be a complimentary companion of
equal worth and equal abilities. I am asking men to fill the position that
God appointed for us. It is not a position that demands rule nor a battle to
maintain superiority, but of love, sacrifice and self-denial. I have yet to
meet a woman who objected to being loved, nor have I heard of children who
did not want the influence of a dad who was a loving caring father.
Men, we have lived too long out of step with the program that God has
assigned for us. We must imitate Christ in His love for the Church. ³Christ
loved the church and gave himself for her² (Ephesians 5:18-33). We must
learn how to love. Let¹s be responsible and sacrifice ourselves by giving
our children the time that is needed in their lives. Don¹t be just the sperm
donor. Be a dad. Our families need loving leaders. Let¹s be the examples
and the lovers that our wife and kids deserve. Remember God does care for
you and so do we.
* If you would like your name to be removed from this mailing list, please
reply with the word REMOVE. You need not explain or apologize.
* Blogsite for past articles: http://dalebyers.wordpress.com/
<http://dalebyers.wordpress.com/>
I am thankful for a loving, compassionate father and a very honorable
father-in-law. Both of these men taught me much about life and how to be a
good family man. Their principles of life and their examples have been of
great help to me as a father. It is essential that we maintain family life
with respect, honor and love. Learning to be a loving leader and sacrificing
servant are lessons every father learns only through the school of
hard-knocks. I have only the fondest memories of my dad and my father-in-law. My prayer is that I might leave a solid spiritual heritage to my sons that they might look back at the end of my life and measure my work as good. I dare not expect to be called the Greatest Dad or even the
World¹s Number One Dad, but if my family could continue on building their homes on the principles of God¹s Word, my life¹s goal will be fulfilled. I am so thankful for my sons and their families and the blessings they provided for my wife and me.
The American family situation has some problems. Many homes in our nation
are falling apart; rootless, with no long-term ties or commitments.
Communication has broken down and the lines of responsibility are all
confused. Duties that once were part of the family unit have been assigned
to other institutions. The family unit is the foundation of society, the
solid ground where social restraints are preserved, and through which strong
churches are built. A decreasing fraction of our nation today have normal
family characteristics with mother, father and children. The family tree is
no longer traceable in many situations.
The Bible is still God¹s book. If there is any hope for our nation it will
be found in the principles of the Scriptures. ³Marriage is honorable in
all, and the bed undefiled, but fornicators, and adulterers God will judge²
(Hebrews 13:4). Statistics reveal that couples who put marriage on a trial
basis will have a higher rate of failure. Sex apart from marriage has God¹s
stern warnings.
Since we are approaching Father¹s Day, perhaps we should distinguish between
being the biological sperm donor and a father. Even animals breed and
produce offspring. Any male animal can sire an offspring, but it takes a
special person to be a father and a dad.
Television adds and the trends of our culture have assigned the qualities of
men as imbeciles, unalert and worthless while women always are smart, in
control, alert and more valuable individuals. As men, we readily admit to
the great needs which we have of our wives and children. What wonderful
blessings they are to us.
I do think it is time to put Dad in his place. Not the place that society
has assigned him, but the place that God has given to him. The Scriptures
instruct children to honor him (Eph. 6:1-2) and wives are to reverence him
(Eph. 5:33). Not only are wives to reverence him, the Bible instructs wives
to obey him (Genesis 3:16: I Cor. 11:3; Eph. 5:22; Titus 2:5; I Peter
3:1-7). God said it. I only call it to your attention.
Now, if you think I am going to get on a ³kick² about wives not being
submissive to their husbands, you are wrong. God did not take a bone from
Adam¹s head for Eve to lord it over him; nor a bone from his foot for him to
trample her. God took a bone from Adam¹s side so Eve would be beside him;
the place closest to his heart. She was to be a complimentary companion of
equal worth and equal abilities. I am asking men to fill the position that
God appointed for us. It is not a position that demands rule nor a battle to
maintain superiority, but of love, sacrifice and self-denial. I have yet to
meet a woman who objected to being loved, nor have I heard of children who
did not want the influence of a dad who was a loving caring father.
Men, we have lived too long out of step with the program that God has
assigned for us. We must imitate Christ in His love for the Church. ³Christ
loved the church and gave himself for her² (Ephesians 5:18-33). We must
learn how to love. Let¹s be responsible and sacrifice ourselves by giving
our children the time that is needed in their lives. Don¹t be just the sperm
donor. Be a dad. Our families need loving leaders. Let¹s be the examples
and the lovers that our wife and kids deserve. Remember God does care for
you and so do we.
* If you would like your name to be removed from this mailing list, please
reply with the word REMOVE. You need not explain or apologize.
* Blogsite for past articles: http://dalebyers.wordpress.com/
<http://dalebyers.wordpress.com/>