What Should Be A Father's Top Prioity?

Not every dad will agree on what belongs in the No. 1 spot, but I’m convinced that one goal should be near the top of every father’s list: modeling God’s character.
Many of our children’s ideas about God will be based on their relationship with us. If children grow up with an earthly father who is absent or emotionally distant, it will be much more difficult for them to view God as an actively involved heavenly Father. If a dad is overly harsh and rigid, his children will likely see God as a judge who is quick to punish their sins. On the other hand, if a dad is engaged and loving, his children will more readily put their faith in a God who cares for them.
Whether we like it or not, our fathering will create impressions about God for our children, and it’s up to us to make the most of our opportunities. We have great potential here. We can model qualities that will allow our children to have a more accurate picture of God’s character.
At first blush, this task seems impossible. After all, none of us come close to matching God’s perfection. My dad was not perfect either, but he made God vivid to me by how he treated me. He was not condescending or negative; I respected him, and I learned to respect God.
How can we show our kids what God is like? Consider the attributes of God: He is love. He is just. He is merciful. He is slow to anger. He is available. God protects and provides. Does that sound like the kind of father you want to be? No doubt, that’s the kind of father your kids need.
Make every effort to reflect the character of God in your life-which means you should get to know Him. Then you’ll be able to give your children a glimpse of who God is as their Father.

Carey Casey is CEO of the National Center for Fathering
and the author of Championship Fathering


I know it can be challenging to father our children in today’s society. It seems like we have an uphill battle. Every where we turn, we seem to deal with a world that wants to redefine what the family is. God created family, and God created us in His own image and likeness. And He created us as father’s to reflect and reveal who God is to our children. Like I’ve said before, He is not looking for perfect parents, or perfect fathers. He is looking for father’s who are after His heart and want to love like Him. To be just and merciful like Him. To protect and provide like Him. To be available to our spouse and children and to be slow to anger like Jesus taught us through His example.
Yes we will make mistakes, we will blow it with our kids, and we will put our foot in our mouths from time to time. It is O.K.; God doesn’t keep a record of our goof ups. But we need to learn from our mistakes and allow God to change us in those areas that we seem to repeat over, and over again. You can do it. I know I have and I continue to learn as a father, a husband, and as a child of my Daddy in heaven. So this is for all of us dads, whether you are a new dad, a seasoned veteran, or a dad to be. LET’S BE MORE LIKE HIM!
Mark Soto