The Best Father

James chapter 1 reminds us of the father-heart of God:
17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning.   Because Jesus has died for us to bring us into His family, we have now been adopted as children of God - He is our loving, heavenly Father, who gives us good gifts and who trains us in righteousness, disciplining and correcting us when we go astray, and transforming us into the image of Jesus.   He is the ultimate Father, and His ways become a model for us as we seek to father our children.   Psalm 78:5-7 give us some insight into the important role of fathers: 5 For He established a testimony in Jacob, And appointed a law in Israel, Which He commanded our fathers, That they should make them known to their children; 6 That the generation to come might know them, The children who would be born, That they may arise and declare them to their children, 7 That they may set their hope in God, And not forget the works of God, But keep His commandments; 
At a morning briefing in the movie, Courageous, the sheriff offers words insight about young men who join gangs and commit violence:  “Most of them are from fatherless homes.”
“When a father is absent, kids are five times more likely to commit suicide or use drugs. They’re twenty times more likely to wind up in prison. So tonight after you clock out, go home and love your families.”

While this movie character is describing the epidemic of fatherlessness that leads to so many of our social problems today, he is also encouraging the male officers to not be absentees in their approach to being fathers.   We have so many activities that are not bad in and of themselves, but if they become distractions that keep us from being mentally and spiritually engaged with our children and our spouses, then we become less of the leaders that God has called us to be.

When we communicate a message of disinterest when our children come to us to tell us something that has happened to them, even to share a story or even a joke, then we are not walking in the love of Christ that puts the needs of others above our own.   We can be present physically in our homes but absent or disengaged mentally, and if our children or mates sense that we are not really in sync with them, then they pull away, they don't come back as often.  

Socially, we have a challenge to intervene in situations where there are absentee fathers, and may even be directed to seek to become fathers to the fatherless, reflecting the nature of our heavenly Father.   But, we also have to guard against being an absentee father ourselves - emotionally and spiritually - relying on God, who gives us the capacity to be excellent dads and to reflect His love.