“Whoever brings a fool into the world does so to his grief, and the father of a fool has no joy.” Proverbs 17:21 NET https://bible.com/bible/107/pro.17.21.NET
Father’s Day is tomorrow, and fathers have been given primary responsibility for raising godly children. Our verse today focuses on fathers raising children, not parents or mothers. Fathers are the spiritual leaders of the home and are given primary responsibility for the conduct and character of the home. Like Adam, God will call men to account first, but both Adam and Eve, husband and wife, are responsible before God to obey Him and to do His will. In marriage, God’s will is for godly children. This verse uses two different words in Hebrew that we generally translate as a fool. The first is the ordinary fool. He doesn’t know how to engage society well, a social misfit. To avoid raising this child, the father must discipline him early to drive out the rebellion inherited from our birth. Our sinful nature must be disciplined. He must teach this child to work, respect others, and do those things that make him a joy and benefit to society. The second word for fool describes the practical atheist. This fool ignores God, does not serve God, and may not even worship God. This is the result of not training our children spiritually. It is the further and more devastating result of not teaching our children according to the law so they cannot live by the Spirit. Children who are worldly fools will also be spiritual fools. God’s word instructs a man how to raise his children in a manner that best facilitates their becoming godly adults. The struggle so many boomer parents have with raising godly millennials is that they failed to train children how they were supposed to go so that they are not walking in it now they are older. The best decision a father can make on Father’s Day is to double down on being the man God called him to be in his home so that he has the best possibility for raising godly children.
My book MAN Up! is a great place to start your journey if you need help. You can get yours here
