The father-son relationship is a powerful force in this world. With time and commitment, a father grounds his son in the right stuff and equips him to navigate life well. A father’s influence is powerful and is not an option. The only option is to invest well for a positive influence or be passive and let the influence be negative. The collateral damage of passivity on the fathering front is seen in many societal woes being faced today.

The Father-man relationship suffered disconnect in the Garden of Eden when Adam was passive, (Genesis 3:6). Man tried to reconnect with God through animal sacrifices and religious rituals but could not get above his sin. There was a barrier between man and God that man could not remove. The collateral damage has been significant.

“Do not hold on to Me, for I have not yet returned to the Father. Go instead to My brothers and tell them, ‘I am returning to My Father and your Father, to My God and your God.’” John 20:17. Upon resurrection, Jesus’ words to Mary in the garden reconnected man with what got disconnected in the original garden experience, relationship with the Father.  On the evening of that first day of the week, when the disciples were together with the doors locked for fear of the Jewish leaders, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you!” After He said this, He showed them His hands and side. The disciples were overjoyed when they saw the Lord. – John 20:19-20. That first Easter morning found the disciples hiding in fear for their lives as they tried to process their disconnect with Jesus. The One they thought was the Christ had been killed, on a cross no less. Were they to press on with ministry that would most likely end as it did for Jesus? Or were they to blend back in with the culture and return to the work they were doing prior to meeting Jesus? Time passed from Friday to Sunday and Jesus appears to them saying, “Peace be with you!” – All the teaching, all the parables and all the miracles all of the sudden made sense. Jesus had conquered death and was standing among them! Nothing the Roman government was doing or the religious authorities were spewing had sway over that moment. Jesus is risen! He walked out of the tomb victorious over death, and appeared to His disciples and to the many. It is by the grace of God through His Son Jesus the Christ, that man can reconnect in relationship with the Father. Collateral damage was turned to collateral blessing that first Easter morn.

The power of the Father-Son relationship is passed on to fathers today through the Spirit of sonship that Paul speaks of in Romans 8:15. Through Jesus’ perfect sacrifice on the cross, man can cry out, “ABBA, Father!” in a new-found Father-man relationship. As hearts turn to the Father, He turns fathers’ hearts to their children to turn collateral damage to collateral blessing.

Prayer guide: Father, thank You for Your word and Your resurrected Son. I confess that I have been passive as a father, operating more on cruise control as a good dad than under Your power as an intentional dad. Forgive me. Empower me in the spirit of Elijah to live into the fullness of relationship with You and reflect that relationship well in marriage and the lives of our children. Let the heart-turning begin, that I may turn collateral damage I have caused to collateral blessings by Your grace and for Your glory. That is the dad You call me to be and that’s the dad my kids need to see. Amen.

A faithful father turns collateral damage to collateral blessing.