Dearly Beloved Children Warning to Dad

Dearly Beloved Children

Warning to Dad

Have you ever seen this face on your child?

Maybe they are exasperated!

I think the NIV’s choice of words has a funny side to it.

“Fathers do not exasperate your children.”

Ephesians 4:6 NIV

The word exasperate means:

 to disturb the peace of mind of (someone)

especially by repeated disagreeable acts to make very angry.

This is what small children do to their parents

when they ask endless questions about

‘why is this’ or ‘what is that’.

I think all of us dads can get the picture.

Our children can also get exasperated

or be provoked to anger.

Yes, the father is to be the head of the family

but a position never made a person perfect.

In fact, a position many times reveals our weaknesses.

We, as dads, cannot let our responsibility

get under our skin in a way

that we get under our children’s skin.

We need to be careful we do not use our authority

to push our children over the edge of rebellion.

We, as dads, need to make sure

we follow through on what we say…

holding ourselves accountable.

Yes, we can intentionally or unintentionally

exasperate our children.

I have done it when they were very little

and now that they are adults.. 

there are times I see they are getting exasperated

and I can’t understand why.

So I have found I needed to let my children know

my position and authority is not something

I want to use against them, but for them.

This usually means greater communication

in an atmosphere of love.

But out of all these things I have mentioned

that provoke our children,

there is one I am most guilty of…

It is taking too long to make a decision!

Many times my children want things

faster than I can properly digest the issue.

So always working on the area of trust

helps my children be patience with me.   

Thanks Sarah, Julie and Marty for understanding

your dad is trying to live up to

this amazing position of being your dad.

Our position of fatherhood is not to get our children

to live life our way,

but to instruct them in God’s ways.

That will always bring about the best for them and us.

Scripture Reading

Ephesians 6:4 NIV

4 Fathers, do not exasperate your children;

instead, bring them up in the training

and instruction of the Lord.

Colossians 3:20-21 NIV

20 Children, obey your parents in everything,

for this pleases the Lord.

21 Fathers, do not embitter your children,

or they will become discouraged.

Deuteronomy 6:4-9 NIV

4 Hear, O Israel:

The LORD our God, the LORD is one. 

5 Love the LORD your God

with all your heart

and with all your soul

and with all your strength.

6 These commandments that I give you today

are to be upon your hearts.

7 Impress them on your children.

Talk about them when you sit at home

and when you walk along the road,

when you lie down

and when you get up.

8 Tie them as symbols on your hands

and bind them on your foreheads.

9 Write them on the doorframes of your houses

and on your gates.