Not Many Fathers

All over the world, June 18th, 2023 was set apart as a day to recognize and celebrate Fathers.

Ironically, Fatherhood is an estate that is in danger of extinction. It’s being attacked at every turn. In the context is a family, a male has three unique expressions: Son, Husband and Father. And there are so connected that an assault on one ripples into all others.

Fatherhood has been brought low, admitted by the actions of some men, and more critically by a societal evolution that has not only written off its importance but has taken a step further to vilify it. To my mind, this is summed up in an unfortunate societal disposition; Men are scum.

But is it? What is the truth? Can we bring to the fore, Biblical Fatherhood? Can we awaken men to the divine calling of Fatherhood? Admittedly, it’s a bit difficult to address Fatherhood without dealing with manhood, however, for constraint sake I’ll go right ahead.

I’m going to deal with two hallmarks and responses of Fatherhood:

For even if you were to have ten thousand teachers [to guide you] in Christ, yet you would not have many fathers [who led you to Christ and assumed responsibility for you], for I became your father in Christ Jesus through the good news [of salvation]

1 Corinthians 4:15 AMP (emphasis added)

The first hallmark is Leadership.

The father is called to lead his family. We typically tend to think of protection and provision as some of the hallmarks, however there are subsets under the second hallmark.

So, what do we mean by leadership in this context? For starters, he must be a man of vision. There must be something he is seeing, something that he is moving towards. By ‘seeing’, I’m not referring to physical eyes.

A lot of families languish not for lack of means but for the ‘visionlessness’ of the man of the house, when he does not know how to harness the various resources, give shape to the ‘bent’ of his children, give his wife room to incubate and reproduce. The first hallmark of fatherhood is vision.

The second hallmark of Fatherhood is Responsibility.

This is the level most men are familiar with and judged by. This is the level that the failures of fathers readily come to the fore, largely because it is the expressed component. It is at this point that channels like Provision, Protection, Instruction, Discipline, etc come into view.

If Vision above is likened unto the reading of a map, Responsibility is likened unto steering the wheels of a vehicle. Correspondingly, there is nothing more damning for a father than to be called irresponsible and nothing more demoralizing for a man than for him to lose the ability or the opportunity to be responsible towards his family, at least.

Now, in looking at the responses, I’m thinking of the actions that help lubricate the engine of fatherhood. The first is Acknowledgement or Recognition.

Let’s learn to acknowledge fathers. They don’t need to remain unsung heroes. They should be recognized, and their contributions, acknowledged. A thank you note, a warm hug, the serving of a favorite meal, etc, will go a long way in showing this.

Fathers are in a different class; don’t commonize them. It is greatly encouraging to fathers when those in their settings ‘see’ them as fathers and relate with them in that light.

After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name.

Matthew 6:9 (KJV)

The second is Honor.

Fathers need honor. Fathers long to be honored. Men generally gravitate to people and systems that communicate honor to them. There is an honor that belongs to Fathers. This is not only for children or offspring. I think wives and mothers are implicated.

Interestingly, this is not related to their performance but their place [as fathers]. Note that this is not meant to absolve fathers from the need to follow through on their responsibilities, rather it is to remind them of their estate.

Then if I am a Father, where is My honor? And if I am a Master, where is the [reverent] fear and respect due Me? ‘ says the LORD of hosts to you, O priests, who despise My name.

Malachi 1:6-8 (KJV)