Foundational Demands Of Fatherhood-1

FOUNDATIONAL DEMANDS OF FATHERHOOD-I—Proverbs 23:22-25

Attention:

Father’s Day...So What?

As of June 14, 2019 the ‘National Retail Federation’ says 76% of people plan to celebrate Father's Day. Compare that to 84% on mother's day.

We also spend more on mom. $25 billion dollars compared to $16 billion for dad...Over one & a half times more!

Need:

Fatherhood is understood differently from two major perspectives.

1)Lost/secular people have a subjective worldly understanding of fatherhood that shifts constantly from person to person & generation to generation.

2)Whereas saved people know God’s settled intent for fathers.

The Holy Spirit used the writer of Proverbs to reveal the foundational demands of Fatherhood.

Foundational biblical demands of Fatherhood are available & accessible.

What are some of the foundational biblical demands of Fatherhood?

1—A foundational demand of Fatherhood is to...

EARN YOUR CHILD’S HEART(:22)

Explanation/Illustration:(:22)

:22—“Listen to your father who begot you, And do not despise your mother when she is old.”

“Listen to your father who begot you,...”

Here the instruction is directed toward a son or daughter.

This verse is a call to spiritual & moral reasoning. This verse describes the tendency that children & teens have toward act selfishly.

•Children are ‘generally’ considered those who are not adults, & who are immature, & need a father’s(& mother’s) direct guidance. This can also apply to adult children!

•Selfishness naturally defies godly wisdom(:23)...

Prov. 22:15—“Foolishness is bound up in the heart of a child; The rod of correction will drive it far from him.”

In order to ‘properly’ correct your child(ren), you must project your own maturity upon them.

Therefore this is a call to Fathers(& mothers) to exercise the continuing diligence needed in driving foolishness’ away from their own children.

By God’s design , Fathers are expected to ‘be there’ for the direction, maturity, & betterment, of all their children.

•But preacher, how can I be there when I hold down a full-time job outside the home?...

Your career/job should not be given so much attention that your family is neglected for the sake of money or position or another ‘more important’ commitment! Career & family is a ‘both-and’ responsibility for fathers!

This verse(:22) also describes the relationship that both father & mother have to their children.

Every person—every son or daughter—is a father & mother’s legacy. Every person is somebody’s ‘baby.’

Example:

•Often while we’re watching TV, we’ll see someone who has either really or in pretense, compromised themselves morally & spiritually before the cameras. My wife will sometimes sadly say, “That’s somebody’s baby.” Or--“I wonder what their momma thinks about what they’re doing?”

True Respect cannot be forced! It must be EARNED.

•All of a father’s(parent’s) years should be invested in obtaining the goal of earning his child’s respect. Such a father will submit himself to the will of God first & foremost(Mat. 6:33) & apply it accordingly...

Mat. 6:33—“But seek first the kingdom of God & His righteousness, & all these things[physical needs] shall be added to you.”

The ‘respect’ earned will NEVER be used by a Christ-honoring father as a personal bragging point so that it calls undue attention to the father’s ability as a parent. The concept that ‘respect’ is merely ‘a means of control’ is worldly, fleshly, & foreign to the Good News of Jesus.

It is fulfillment enough for any ‘godly’ father to know that his child truly trusts him, respects his opinion, respects his outlook on life, & respects his general attitude towards life situations & toward others.

•Examples:

•A child should find confidence & consolation in asking, “How does Dad respond in such a situation?” OR--?What would Daddy do? OR--?How does my ‘old man’ relate to God’s creation & people in particular?

•A child should witness & experience that Dad’s thoughts & actions will first & foremost honor Christ Jesus!

“Begot”—assumes & illustrates the intentional relationship of father to child & vice-versa. The begetting of a child assumes that a father’s love for his son &/or daughter is indeed genuine.

•All four of our kids were planned, & born out of love for them before they were even conceived.

“...And do not despise your mother when she is old.”

Likewise, it is imperative that one consider one’s “mother.” Like one’s “father”, so one’s “mother” has also “begotten” them. Due to that fact, a certain degree of honor is due one’s “mother.”

•My wife—the mother of our four children—is often heard to say to our kids(especially when they are out of line), “Remember, I gave birth to you!”

Given that proverbs is couched within the context of a ‘father’(teacher/preacher) to a ‘son’/‘youth’, then it is important for a young man & a young woman to recognize the benefit to themselves, of the lifelong commitment & sacrifices that their aging parents have offered them.

It is disgraceful to “despise” one’s mother...to take her family sacrifices for granted.