No Instructions Included

Father’s Day is a time we set aside to honor our father and also a time when dads should kick back and remember just how important a job they have in the family. Recently I read an article about today’s parenting skills and over-all there’s been a great improvement. The only real down side of the article was that parents, although they’re spending more time with their children, are trying to be their child’s best friend and when it comes to learning self-discipline this is not a good thing. Parenting isn’t an easy job. Say “NO” when appropriate and let your child’s best friend be its own age.
A man came home from work late, again, tired and irritated, again, to find his five- year-old son waiting for him at the door. "Daddy, may I ask you a question?" "Yeah, sure, what is it?” replied the man. "Daddy, how much money do you make an hour?” “That's none of your business! What makes you ask such a thing?” the man said angrily. “I just want to know. How much do you make an hour?” pleaded the little boy. “If you must know, I make $20 an hour.” “Oh” the little boy replied as his head bowed with disappointment. Looking up once more he said, “Daddy, may I borrow ten dollars please?” The father became furious, “If the only reason you wanted to know how much money I make is just so you can borrow some to buy a silly toy or some other nonsense, then you march yourself to your room and go to bed! I want you to think about why you’re being so selfish! I work long hard hours every day and don’t have time for such childish games!” The boy quietly went to his room and closed the door. The man sat in his easy chair and began to get even more irritated about his son’s questions. How dare he ask such things just searching for a new angle to get money. After an hour or so the man had calmed down and started to think about how hard he had been on his son. Maybe there was something he really wanted to buy with the ten dollars. It’s very rare he ever asks for money. The father went to the his son’s room, opened the door and asked, “Are you asleep son?” “No daddy, I’m awake” replied the boy. “I want to say I’m sorry for being so rough on you earlier” said the man. “It’s been a long day and I shouldn’t have taken my aggressions out on you like I did. Here’s that ten dollars you asked me for.” The little boy sat up beaming. “Oh thank you daddy!” he yelled. Then, reaching under his pillow he pulled out some more crumpled-up bills. Seeing that the boy already had some money, the man asked, “Why did you want more money if you already some?” “Because I didn’t have enough, but now I do!” said the boy with excitement in his voice. “Daddy, I now have $20. Can I buy an hour of your time?”
[Ephesians 6: 4] Dad’s, you’re probably tired of hearing this, but God’s Word instructs us to raise our children, “…in the training and instruction of the Lord.” Our children didn’t come with a set of instructions of how to care for and raise them, but God has supplied instructions for how the mature understanding adult is to righteously live in this world. I know you’ve heard, your actions and lifestyle will teach your children more about life than anything you could talk about. To raise your children, as God would have you do, live a disciplined godly life guiding your children in the ways of righteousness. Teach them what is right and what is wrong straight from your very own guidebook, the Bible. “When I grow up, I want to be just like you Daddy.”