Super Dad

SUPER DAD!

One little boy's definition of Father's Day went like this: "Well, it's just like Mother's Day, only you don't spend as much." Speaking of spending, someone once said, "A father is someone who carries pictures where his money used to be." For Mother's Day I titled my sermon Mom Strong, highlighting some of the ways moms are strong. In following that theme the Father's Day sermon is titled, Super Dad. Let's see how we fathers can be Super Dads.

1) A Super Dad leads the way.

Last week I talked about the gift of leadership. Dads are the leaders in the home. 1st Cor. 11:3, "Now I want you to realize that the head of every man is Christ, and the head of the woman is man, and the head of Christ is God."

Although the father is the head of the house, his authority is to be seen as a godly responsibility; not as a license to run a family of slaves. A Super Dad takes responsibility for taking care of the family and looking out for the family's best interest.

Heb. 11:7, "By faith Noah, when warned about things not yet seen, in holy fear built an ark to save his family. By his faith he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness that comes by faith." Yes, this verse is about Noah's faith and yes, Noah built the ark because he believed God's warnings. But I think it's interesting that the writer of Hebrews puts in the phrase, 'to save his family'.

Noah had holy fear; he knew God meant what he said with the coming of the flood. But it wasn't just that reality that kept him building for over 100 years. It wasn't just God's command that allowed him to put up with the negative comments from those who thought he was insane for building a huge boat where there was no water around. I guarantee he often found the strength to carry on because he thought of his family and how their survival hinged on his determination to stay the course.

Working hard, making sacrifices, protecting, providing-these are all characteristics of being a good leader in the home. And being a good leader in the home involves setting the example of godly values. Our kids are watching and listening. They will develop their values through us.

Many sons look up to their father like a super hero. They think Dad can do anything. I looked at my father that way. I really did think my dad could beat up all the other dads. And whenever my father had something to say about anything related to building something or fixing something I took it as gospel; there's no way he could be wrong.

As I got older I realized that Dad wasn't perfect but I still looked up to him. We need to remember that our kids are looking to us to say the right thing and give the right instruction. Kids are impressionable; they don't think their dads could be wrong about anything. That's why it's so important that we fathers take our role seriously and with great humility.

As the family is looking to the father for guidance it's crucial that we consider everything we say and do and how it will affect the family. We need to pray and seek God's wisdom when making decisions. A good leader doesn't make selfish decisions; he cares about how it will affect the rest of the family. He gets input from his wife and perhaps the kids too. A Super Dad is a good leader.

2) A Super Dad encourages his kids.

The week before last I talked about the gift of encouragement. 1st Thess. 2:11-12, "For you know that we dealt with each of you as a father deals with his own children, encouraging, comforting and urging you to live lives worthy of God, who calls you into his kingdom and glory."

One of the greatest things a dad can do is encourage their kids. All three of these attributes work so well together to make such a big difference in the life of a kid. To hear your father encourage you to keep going, comfort you when you fall short and then urge you to get back up and get back in the game. This shows that the dad believes in the child. How much of an inspiration does a father give a child when they know dad believes in them?

Some years ago, in a military academy, the students mutinied, probably a reaction to the hard demands of such an environment. The students had struck in everything: lessons, study hours, drill. When word reached their parents, the students began to receive telegrams, which the principal had in his possession.