"Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord." (Ephesians 6:4)
This is a short meditation really, and something that I find to be very convicting. Fathers are not to provoke their children to anger.
This can be done by being overly harsh with them, treating them in a fashion inconsistent with our Lord's treatment of us. Has He not been patient, kind and even gentle with us?
It can also be done with hypocrisy and that is something I would like to consider briefly.
If we are faithful in teaching them the scriptures diligently, that is an amazing step in and of itself. But too often that is all we might want to do with them.
When we get home from work, we are usually very tired and desirous of relaxation and entertainment. And this is where the kids come in. "Dad, lets ...." Just fill it in with anything.
In those moments we are sorely tested to say something like, "well, not now son, I am ......" Just fill it in with anything.
As fathers we must fight this with all that is in us. If we are not willing to play catch with them, then neither should we teach them the Scriptures. It will be hard for them to overlook our lack of interest in them. Doesn't God care for our temporal as well as our eternal needs? So it should be with us and our children.
Although it is also exceedingly difficult to be faithful in training them in the fear of the Lord, the success we have in this area does not obviate our duty to be interested in their lives.
We must pray for grace in this area, lest we frustrate our children by demanding from them obedience to the word on the one hand and ignoring their lives and interests on the other.
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