A Father’s Presence
Anyone who does not provide for their relatives, and especially for their own household, has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever. (1 Timothy 5:8)
We can learn a lot about fatherhood from Abraham. What made Abraham great is not that his life was perfect, but that through it all, he stayed with God. His life was not without blemish. He made mistakes. He disappointed God. He wasn’t always honest, and he made a complete mess of what God intended for his family and his life. We can learn so much not only from what Abraham did, but also from the things he should have done.
One of the greatest things we can learn from Abraham is that presence is key when it comes to parenting. The life trajectories of Abraham’s two most prominent sons, Ishmael and Isaac, I believe are the result of the amount of time he spent with them. One, Ishmael seemed to struggle with dysfunction to no fault of his own, and the other, Isaac, seemed to enjoy a life of relative peace, prosperity and purpose. If you look closely, you can see that Abraham was present for Isaac in ways he was not present for Ishmael.
The data is clear in present day as well that an engaged father makes a difference in the lives of his children. Showing up is half the battle. Whether you are physically in the home with them, or if circumstances have caused that not to be the case, you, as a father, need to be present as much and as often as possible.
Marcy Carlson, a sociologist at the University of Wisconsin says, “Writing letters, phone calls, even if you’re not in physical proximity, knowing your dad cares and wants to be involved to the extent that they can is really important [for the healthy growth and development of children.]”
This is why parents should not allow disputes and differences to prevent children from spending regular, consistent, and quality time with their father. The presence of a father in a child’s life is so impactful and so important. So if you’re a father, make a point to be there for your kids and to fulfill the role that God has given you in your child’s life.
We can learn a lot about fatherhood from Abraham. What made Abraham great is not that his life was perfect, but that through it all, he stayed with God. His life was not without blemish. He made mistakes. He disappointed God. He wasn’t always honest, and he made a complete mess of what God intended for his family and his life. We can learn so much not only from what Abraham did, but also from the things he should have done.
One of the greatest things we can learn from Abraham is that presence is key when it comes to parenting. The life trajectories of Abraham’s two most prominent sons, Ishmael and Isaac, I believe are the result of the amount of time he spent with them. One, Ishmael seemed to struggle with dysfunction to no fault of his own, and the other, Isaac, seemed to enjoy a life of relative peace, prosperity and purpose. If you look closely, you can see that Abraham was present for Isaac in ways he was not present for Ishmael.
The data is clear in present day as well that an engaged father makes a difference in the lives of his children. Showing up is half the battle. Whether you are physically in the home with them, or if circumstances have caused that not to be the case, you, as a father, need to be present as much and as often as possible.
Marcy Carlson, a sociologist at the University of Wisconsin says, “Writing letters, phone calls, even if you’re not in physical proximity, knowing your dad cares and wants to be involved to the extent that they can is really important [for the healthy growth and development of children.]”
This is why parents should not allow disputes and differences to prevent children from spending regular, consistent, and quality time with their father. The presence of a father in a child’s life is so impactful and so important. So if you’re a father, make a point to be there for your kids and to fulfill the role that God has given you in your child’s life.
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