Rev. Mike Shiery

Pilgrim Bible Church

West Pine St. • Cedar Springs

As we come into this weekend, naturally our thoughts turn to the father that God has placed in our lives. We will give cards and gifts, make telephone calls, and go out to eat as we honor the men who have so greatly impacted our lives. It is good that we do so. Fatherhood is designed by God to have a strong and positive role in a family, and we need to honor and restore that institution in our generation.

In our current culture, the role of the father in a family is one that is often mocked or misunderstood. In many TV sitcoms, the dad is portrayed as a dopey buffoon, a lustful and leering predator, or a weak and emasculated figure, who is constantly subjugated to an inferior role in the family by disrespectful children and/or a dominating wife. Reality is that what is seen on TV is often played out in real life in homes all across the country.

Some people do not have good relationships with, or memories of, their father. Unfortunately, many times those strained relationships or bad memories have been rightly earned by men whose parenting skills have been sorely lacking. Many children, small or grown, have bitter memories of fathers who were physically or verbally abusive or even went AWOL.

While there are many fathers who are derelict in their duty, thankfully there are also many who have accepted their rightful roles and are living out a reflection of God’s character in their own lives to the best of their ability. I am truly grateful that I have been blessed with a wonderful father who has lived out his faith in God and blazed a trail for me to follow in the paths of righteousness. Dad has lived his life in a way that made it easy for me to embrace the concept of God as a loving, Heavenly Father.

Jesus told Philip in John 14:9: “He who has seen Me has seen the Father” (NKJV). Dads, that needs to be the goal in our lives. Part of the process of restoring fatherhood to its God-ordained place in society is for men to step up and accept and shoulder the responsibilities that come with that position. Being a dad is far more than just a title; it is an ongoing action.

It is being humble in our attitudes, consistent in our daily walk of faith, unwavering in unconditional love for our families, uncorrupted by current culture, constant in our generosity, and magnanimous in our acts of grace. It is being firm enough to provide boundaries for our families’ actions, strong enough to demand a proper code of conduct for our families’ behavior, and gentle in teaching those ways to ones we love. We are to model the heart of Jesus for those with whom we live.

May our spouses and children see the character of God shining out through our lives as His grace empowers to be more than we ever dreamed.