Butterfly Kisses...

I am here at Beach Week 2010. What a generation of young people passionate for purposes bigger than a paycheck and materialism -- passionate for meaning. Our world is full of sons and daughters who desperately need a father who is a spiritual leader. Is it possible your kids are among them? You can become a spiritual leader to your children by making a commitment learn and live the characteristics of Jesus in front of them. Even if you are not a father or a mother, you will be able to lead others into the heart of God by following the example of Jesus. Here is what Jesus did for His followers:

First, Jesus helped the disciples to know God. Dads, this is your number one responsibility as a father. You need to help your children get to know God because eternity hangs in the balance. It is your responsibility to help make sure your kids are introduced to God. They belong to God. He loans them to us for a period of time in which he wants you to parent them. Parenting, like all forms of leadership, is really about stewardship. You learn to say, “God, I am the steward of these children, whom You put into my care, and I will do what You need me to do to help them achieve their purpose.”

Notice Jesus led by example. This is one of the most sobering truths about being a parent. For right or wrong, for good or bad, whether you like it or not, your children’s idea of God is going to be largely determined by the kind of father you are. You may not like that. I may not like that, but it’s the truth. If you are an impatient and demanding father, they’re going to think God is impatient and demanding. If you are distant and detached and never have time for your kids, they’re going to think God is distant and detached from them. If you are inconsistent and unreliable, if you break your promises, they’re going to think their heavenly Father is inconsistent and unreliable and breaks His promises.

What is God really like? God is caring…God is close and aware of the details… God is consistent.

If my kids are going to grow up knowing God is caring, close, and consistent, then I must be caring, close, and consistent. I must care about my kids enough to show them what God is like and show them how they can become like Christ.