What Is This Job Really About?

WHAT IS THIS JOB REALLY ABOUT?—Deuteronomy 6 (Father’s Day)

Father’s Day (“Aw, come on, you don’t have to celebrate…”—And I really mean it when I say it!)

For many fathers, it’s a reminder that they’re important—but they don’t know exactly why

What is the job about? What is a father supposed to be doing?

He feels like he’s supposed to provide for family (So if money is there…)

He feels like he’s supposed to protect family (But when they go out into real world…)

(Can’t go with them everywhere, can’t fix everything)

He feels like he’s supposed to lead the way in family—but what does that mean?

How does he evaluate his job performance? (no paycheck, no product except children

(unfinished—and no child wants to be a “product”)

Many fathers feel inadequate, out of place in family

(àretreat to work: job clearly defined, performance evaluation is clear)

Meanwhile, wife feels like single parent—and father feels guilty

(but he really doesn’t know what he’s supposed to be doing—or how to evaluate…)

It’s not just fathers who feel this way! Influencers feel this way

Mothers: “provide on-site training in basic life skills, such as nose-blowing”

There’s got to be more to the job than potty-training and getting them to eat vegetables

Grandparents: love the freedom of the job, but love those grandkids and want to be helpful

Anyone in position of influence: even peer influencers (feel some responsibility—but how…?)

What is the job description? How know what supposed to be doing, and whether doing good job?

Maybe Deuteronomy will give you a start (then you talk about it with spouse, the parents, friends)

Today, We’ll focus on fathers (If you’re not a father—apply it to your situation)

Mission: to help the family center their lives around God and his ways

(“so that it may go well with you”) (1-3)

to “fear” God is to center life around him and his ways

It’s his Promised Land—“land flowing with milk and honey”

It’s his commands, decrees, and laws—rules for living

If family members recognize that and live God’s way…

Psalm 119:1-2 Blessed are they whose ways are blameless, who walk according to the law of the LORD.

Blessed are they who keep his statutes and seek him with all their heart.

Your mission as a father (or mother, or any influencer) is to get those you love to do that

(If everybody did…) But how? What is role of father (influencer)—what can you do?

Job description: at least 5 key areas of responsibility (This is what you’re supposed to be doing)

1. Personally know and love God (able to make the introduction)

“Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one”: shema—every Jewish worship service…

(Grandpa Slag…old, scary to my mother, smoked stinky cigars, stickler for promptness…

he and grandma raised 7 great kids…They knew “fear” of God)

“Love the Lord with your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength”

Jesus said that was the first and greatest commandment—basis of everything else

Everything rises or falls from that foundation: God’s promises, God’s laws, godly lifestyle

You can’t just tack those things on—You have to know and love God

If you do, some of the other stuff will come naturally

2. Lay down (live out) the law (Enforcer? “When Dad comes home…”—Don’t do that, Mom!)

Now, there has to be discipline—but goal is to win their hearts! (6)

when real young, it hurts their back end to disobey (or their freedom, if you choose)

as they get older, they know it hurts you, want to please you

finally, they know it hurts them and others

All the way along, they know God gives his law because he doesn’t want all the hurt

How does the message get through?

Parents feel helpless (average child: 11,000 hours in school, 15,000 hours with TV—

not to mention music, magazines, computer, friends, other families—at most 1,800 at church)

Yet children (even teens) consistently say their parents have major influenceàmaximize

How? (7-9) “talk about them…at home…along the road…”

People misunderstood (Jesus: “You make your phylacteries wide…”—mezuzah on doorframe)

Keep law in everyday life (7)

Teachable moments

In grocery store—too much change…

Telemarketer on phone (assertiveness), or mother-in-law…

Movie—embarrassed to be there with daughter

Son comes home with new word from school—SI subscription includes swimsuit issue

Upset with husband for coming home late—or wife is in one of her moods

At mealtime, someone mentions tragedy (involves drinking, pregnancy, poor judgment)

[consequences: with compassion or condemnation?]

funeral: whether wasted life, or real saint

Requires time together: everyday life as well as favorite hobbies

As children get older, this gets even more threatening to parents—but even greater opportunity

(What works with teens [if anything can] is authenticity)

3. Remember your blessings (unexpected part of job description!) (10-12)