“Fathers, do not exasperate your children, instead, bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord.” Ephesians 6:4
Sunday is Father’s Day in the our country, a day when we honor the Dad’s in our lives and remember our Father’s no longer with us. When my grown children get together, they love to tell humorous stories about their Dad. He had a list of stock answers and I see my sons giving the same responses to their kids! When the kids asked for money, he would reply, “I’d rather owe it to you than cheat you out of it!” They never did figure out the meaning of that expression. It was one his father had taught him! Fathers are one of a kind!
A question was asked by a single mother whose son had just become a dad. Since he had no recollection of his own father, her question was, “What do I tell him a father does?” So what do fathers do? They usually take the family pictures, which is why they aren’t in them. They carve turkeys on Thanksgiving, keep the car gassed up, mow the lawn and attend sporting events. They rarely feed the children, wipe their noses or notice sagging diapers. What else do they do? Fathers let their kids make mistakes, help them ride two-wheelers, teach them to drive, make unpopular decisions and stand by them! He sets the tone for how family members treat each other, members of the opposite sex and people who are different than they are. He’s a role model for loving their mother. A father has the potential to be a powerful force in the life of a child!
One pastor/father gave this tribute to his two sons as “great teachers in the art of family living, who put gray hairs on my head, bills in my pocket, illustrations in my sermons, happiness in my home, and pride in my heart.”
I don’t think I’ve ever heard a sermon about Joseph, Jesus’ earthly father. But, as God chose Mary, so he chose Joseph to be a FATHER to Jesus and raise Him into manhood. Mary and Joseph were chosen together to be parents, but a man was needed to fill the role of father in Jesus’ childhood. He was a LOVING man. Joseph loved Mary and would have “put her away privately” when he learned of her pregnancy and not expose her to public shame. Instead, he loved her sacrificially and he loved Jesus also. He adopted Jesus as his own son, protected him from the hatred of Herod, nurtured and cared for him and taught Jesus his trade of carpentry. He adopted the One the rest of the world would reject!
Joseph OBEYED God! He followed God’s plan for his life. When God spoke and said, “Take Mary and flee to Egypt for safety,” he immediately obeyed, Matthew 2:13. He was also a MAN OF FAITH. He set a good example for his family by journeying to the Temple in Jerusalem from Nazareth each year, and attending the special feasts. He was regular in going to God’s house. Joseph was also a WISE man. Most Bible scholars agree Joseph had a shortened life but used his time on earth wisely. He wasn’t at the cross when Jesus was crucified; Mary went home with the Apostle John. Joseph raised his children in the “training and instruction of the Lord” and left behind a lasting legacy. Two of his sons, James and Jude wrote books of the Bible (James led the church in Jerusalem).
“Fathers, do not exasperate your children, but bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord.” There is something gentle, and yet strong and reassuring about a father’s hand—that special touch that brings comfort! Happy Father’s Day!
Your friend, Jean