It’s funny where inspiration comes from. My kids seem to teach me more often than I do them. Our family is pretty close. As the children are young, and we were older when they were born, they are sometimes exposed to conversations adults have as we mature. Additional curiosity comes from our outdoor and country lifestyle where we often commune with nature, wild, and domestic animals. Kids watch us close, all of us, especially dads.
As men we are directed by God to revere and honor our families. I won’t quote scripture here, but you may search almost any Bible index for those key words. Let’s, for a moment, forget Christian Doctrine. Science, and common sense, demonstrate that, generally, the male of a species is typically larger, stronger, more agile, and all around more capable of protecting his family. My belief is that God made us that way.
Which brings me back to my kids. We’re sitting here tonight watching Animal Planet, one of their favorites. I’d like to boast training them to be comfortable talking about any subject. Reality is, most times I feel like a failure, surviving only by God’s immeasurable grace. They ask questions, or need some form of information, attention, or care, and all I can do is send up a quick prayer begging for guidance. Don’t get me wrong, I’m smart, and tough, it only happens a few hundred times a day, and somehow the words come.
So tonight they ask about the daddy bear. It seems momma bear was protecting two cubs, and humans were trying to rescue the family. ‘Where was Daddy?’ God must have been listening because we used it as an opportune time of discussion. In nature, this is the norm for most species. Darwin did have some validity to his research.
However, men were not programmed or designed like the animal father. Therefore, we have no business acting like members of the wild animal kingdom. Our responsibility is at home, with our families. Managing the household, comforting and encouraging our wife, providing a behavioral example, and sanctuary for our children. We need to bring home the bacon, as well as the vegetables, clothing, and other necessities of life. It is our responsibility to insure a safe, happy, and healthy home.
Everyone knows the statistics, a divorce rate of 50%, and young men dying in the streets. How long can it continue, still expecting civilized American society survive? I submit to you that many examples in the animal kingdom, would shame their human counterpart, Emperor Penguins, for one.
As men, we need to come home. Not simply to our earthly residence, but to Jesus. God’s word is a blueprint for life, the instruction manual for living. He has brought many sinners, even worse than you or I, back from the shadows. Our children need us, our wives need us. No matter how little we like to admit it, we need them.
However, even in turmoil, men must take the lead. It is your responsibility to make the first, second, and even third move if necessary. Lead by example, following only the lead of our Jesus, not of this world. It takes only a little inspiration for many others to follow. Just envision what an entire U.S. State of devoted husbands and fathers could start! America would be unstoppable. ejh
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