by Chris Steele

June 17, 2007

How much of an impact does a father really have in the home? The answer may be approached from a variety of different angles. Society may look at it from an economical standpoint. Certainly a father’s income is very important for the financial support of the home. God commands us to provide for our own families (1 Timothy 5:8), but the impact of a father runs much deeper than his job and wallet (Ephesians 6:4).

When fathers abandon their children, or they are present physically, but absent emotionally, the statistics are not good. Children suffer far more than most people realize. Some casually say, “Kids are tough.” “I survived a divorce when I was their age and they will too.” Interestingly enough, statistics show that for many who have “survived” the divorce of their parents, often repeat the cycle and their marriages end tragically in divorce as well.

The truth of the matter is behavior problems are phenomenal among fatherless children. These young people have all kinds of adjustment problems. Plus they are far more likely to get into serious trouble. As Christians we need to do all we can to help these children to learn the principles of happy homes. This can be done in spite of the bad things they may have seen already in their young lives.

For the good of our children and the future of our society, men need to put away selfishness, remembering their God-given role as a husband and father. Men, we have a tremendous responsibility to our families. When we choose to marry and become partners in bringing our offspring into this world, we need to love and cherish our wives and children. We should always count them as blessings from God and enjoy them and show our appreciation for them. They also deserve to see this example in us. Then we can truly enjoy and be deserving on Fathers Day!