Men are built to do work. Accomplishments are recognized and celebrated from an early age. On the farm, young men were paid by the bail when they put up hay. Chores were expected to be done as part of the family responsibilities. That manifested into a work ethic that had a man willing to put long hours in doing the work before him.
Wayne Huizenga was a successful businessman. He was known for Waste Management Inc., AutoNation, Blockbuster and Swisher Hygiene. He also owned the Miami Dolphins, Florida Marlins and the Florida Panthers. Late in life he expressed regret that his hectic business life had left little time for his children. He said, “Your kids grow up a lot quicker than you think they do. And all of the sudden you look back and you haven’t spent the time with them.” Call to dads - focus on being physically present.
“Anyone who loves Me will obey my teaching. My Father will love them, and We will come to them and make our home with them.” – John 14:23. Being in relationship with Jesus the Christ opens the door to the Father and to an identity in the trinity. Work is part of life and there is nothing inherently wrong with doing work. But men must stay on the alert as the secular world and its performance-driven culture can intoxicate a man on success. Again, there is nothing wrong with work and success unless they become idols. Any associated financial success can make it even more intoxicating and the almighty dollar can become a little ‘g’ god. Christians are charged to be in this world but not of it. That means to stay close to the trinity – If the Father thought it important to send His son to be physically with us for a window of time, dads should prioritize physical presence in family; if Jesus thought it important to send the Holy Spirit to engage with His disciples when He returned to the Father, dads should be engaged emotionally with their kids; and, if the Father provided His book as a spiritual guide for life, dads should lead spiritually by example at home and at work. Establish your identity in the Trinity by BEING present physically, engaged emotionally and leading spiritually by example.
Register HERE for next month’s father-daughter BEING THERE weekend;
Keep an eye out HERE for the father-daughter & father-son 940 PROJECT weekends early in the new year;
Look ahead HERE to the father-daughter & father-son trips in southern Colorado in June of next year.
Prayer guide: Thank You Lord for Your word and Your love for me. I confess that relationships in my early professional years were all tied to work and what we could do for each other. Status and money were my gods. Forgive me. Thank You for the wake-up call that opened my heart to a personal, passionate relationship with You Lord and connected me to the Father. Now, in the spirit of sonship, I can look to “ABBA, Father” as the one true God. Grant me strength to lead the family You have blessed me with in a healthy relationship with You and with each other. That is the dad You call me to be, and that’s the dad my kids need to see. Amen.
A faithful father establishes his identity in the Trinity.
This is so good, it is so true, most of us were educated for success in this world’s idea of it, and we feel defeated if we don’t achieve that ideal..It is “life under the sun” without reference to the Creator of the sun. Thanks brother.
