As we move into my favorite month of the year, Father’s Day month, I encourage you to look back and look in the mirror. Faithful Fathering’s study, A Dad’s Armor, opens with a look back at the heritage you have in relationship with your earthly father, how involved and engaged he was in your life, and what kind of role model he was. A look in the mirror is to evaluate your own involvement, engagement and spiritual leadership in family.

On the whole, the fact that ‘pride month’ has encroached upon Father’s Day month, suggests that dads have not been involved, engaged and providing the spiritual leadership as needed to raise a godly generation. Our heritage, at least since the sexual revolution of the 1960’s, reflects a generational decline in honoring God’s design for mankind.

We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ. And we will be ready to punish every act of disobedience, once your obedience is complete. – 2 Corinthians 10:5-6. Dads are to stand firm against the culture, to “demolish arguments”, but the tendency is to do that through judgment and condescension. Discounting the perspective of others impedes the argument and stifles dialogue. The word of God is completely capable of speaking for itself. The real argument is an internal one for each man. To what degree are deviant thoughts being entertained? Is “soft” pornography, models in swim suits, stirring up lustful thoughts? Has “hard porn” or “same-sex porn” captivated your thoughts? In large part, it has been passivity at the personal level where dads have failed to “punish every act of disobedience”. Over several generations, the proverbial frog-in-the-pot sees a society that, at best is struggling with defining moral norms, and at worst is accepting of sexually deviant behavior. Only, “once your obedience is complete”, can one recognize and “demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God”. Looking in the mirror is a call for obedience under God’s design for mankind.

The challenge this Father’s Day month is for dads to take a good look in the mirror and lead family discussions on God’s design. My suggestion is to start with Genesis 1:27, “So God created mankind in His own image, in the image of God He created them; male and female He created them.” There are two genders. Then, 2:24, “That is why a man leaves his father and mother and is united to his wife, and they become one flesh.” Man and woman unite as one in marriage. Finally, Malachi 2:15 states, “Has not the one God made you? You belong to Him in body and spirit. And what does the one God seek? Godly offspring. So be on your guard, and do not be unfaithful to the wife of your youth.” Discipline in the marriage relationship under God’s design is what kids need to see daily in the home.

Prayer guide: Lord, I thank You for Your word and Your design for mankind. I confess that I have been passive in facing arguments and pretensions this culture promotes against the knowledge of You. And I have not taken every thought captive in obedience to You. Forgive me. Equip me with the discipline in relationship with You and in marriage to boldly lead my family under Your design. As I look in the mirror, I accept responsibility to lead spiritually by example and glorify You where You have me. That is the dad You call me to be and that is the dad my kids need to see. Amen.

A faithful father leads family discussions on God’s design for mankind.