Much has been written in the last decade especially, about the role of the father in the house.  Is he needed, or can a strong woman fulfill the same role?  What are the affects if dad isn’t present?  Will another man be able to fill the void?  And so many more questions.  All of these are dealing with the reality of the world we live in, sadly enough.

But, as I mentioned in an earlier post, The Importance of Dad, we are going to focus on how to be the Dad that God has called you to be.  We could spend weeks on the sins of fatherhood and barely scratch the surface.  But, let’s look at one aspect of being Dad that is not always agreed upon.  We are attempting to scratch the surface on the positive side of being Dad too, but we’ve got to start somewhere.

Dad as “family leader/foreman/head”.  Flip to Ephesians 5:22-24 for a minute, but make sure to keep reading this post.  Here’s the truth- God has called men to be the head of the family.  That is their God-given vocation in the family.  Where the failure often arises is how that vocation is used.

Notice, if you keep reading, how the Apostle Paul lays out the father’s role as head of the family.  Its not an easy task, and it certainly isn’t one focused on self.  If Dad is fulfilling his vocation he is doing everything out of good for his family, not his own desires and needs-just as Christ did for His Church.  That’s a very powerful analogy and one that cannot be overlooked.  Dad is to love his family with the love that Christ has for His Church- a love that took Him to the Cross and broke open the tomb on Easter morning.  There is no selfishness in that love.

With that headship, comes the responsibility to lead your family in their walk of faith.  That means, first and foremost, show them what it is to know and desire God’s mercy.  Flip a page or two back to Ephesians 4:2-3.  This is the way Christ dealt with those around Him, and continues to interact with us.  As head of the family, this is what we are to imitate.  And when we don’t, we ask for forgiveness.  What an opportunity to point our families to Christ and His love and mercy!

Be the leader in prayer.  I know, at the end of the day, you’re tired.  You’re emotionally drained sometimes.  All you want to do is let somebody else make the decisions and lead the family.  I’m as guilty of this as anybody-maybe even more so.  But, again, we have been given a vocation to fulfill, and part of that is being the spiritual leader in our family.  So, pray for God’s strength to take this role and live it out.  And lead your family in prayer.  From experience, it will strike you emotionally in ways you never experienced, and it will do the same for your family.  God truly is working through you.

Finally, don’t let the Word of God drop in the list of priorities for your family. Remember, you are the head of the family, so what you say and do is going to be what your family says and does.  Do this personally, but also with your family.  It’s amazing to watch God work through you in strengthening the faith of your family!

You’re in my prayers brothers, as I hope I am in yours!  God is working through us and will continue to do so.  Live in His joy, peace and mercy.

For more information and practical guidance check out the following: HomeLife Magazine, June 2013.  “12 Priorities for every Father” by Aaron Householder, LifeWay Publishing.