Understanding the Purpose and Power of Men

Understanding the Purpose and Power of Men

7. A Good Father Encourages His Children

First Thessalonians 2:11 – 12 says , “For you know that we dealt with each of you as a father deals with his own child ren, encouraging, comforting and urging [or warning] you to live lives worthy of God, who calls you into his kingdom and glory.” This passage gives us three additional responsibilities of a good father: encouraging, comforting, and warning. First, children need encouragement. Some children never hear an encouraging word from their fathers. Do you hear how some fathers talk to their children? They act as if the children can‘t do anything right. A ten -year-old boy is wash ing the dishes. His father comes in and says, ―Can‘t you clean dishes better than this?‖ The little guy is at least tr y ing. So encourage him. Maybe he leaves a little soap on the stove or counter. Don‘t look at what he left; look at what he cleaned up. Encourage him. Maybe your child can‘t read quite as fast as you did when you were her age. Don‘t criticize her. Encourage her. Some children are really trying. Sometimes a child will try to help out with the chores and will un intentionally break something. His parent will run into the room and yell, ―What are you doing?‖ He gets a lecture. So he goes to his room with a broken heart, a depressed spirit, and a hurt ego. He thinks, ―I‘m not going to help ever again!‖ Some parents don‘t see their child‘s i n tention. They see only their own anger and frustration. I‘ll never forget something that happened when I was still a young Christian. My sister was a little girl, and I was paint ing a picture of her. It was almost finished, and it had turned out really beautifully. I left the painting on the easel, with the paints out, and walked away for a moment. When I came back, I saw my sister putting red paint all over my picture. She was singing and having a great time. I wanted to slap her, but I took a firm grip on my impatience. In that mo ment, the Holy Spirit spoke to me, saying, ―Don‘t look at what she did. Look at what she was trying to do.‖ You Some children never hear an encouraging word from their fathers.

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