Hear, O sons, a father’s instruction, and be attentive, that you may gain insight, for I give you good precepts; do not forsake my teaching. When I was a son with my father, tender, the only one in the sight of my mother, he taught me and said to me, “Let your heart hold fast my words; keep my commandments and live. Get wisdom; get insight; do not forget, and do not turn away from the words of my mouth. Do not forsake her, and she will keep you; love her, and she will guard you. The beginning of wisdom is this: Get wisdom, and whatever you get, get insight. . .”1
This Sunday, we celebrate Father’s Day in honor of fathers—who have unceremoniously raised their children, the best way they knew or could.
God our Father places the onus on fathers to teach his commandment to their children that they may fear the LORD your God,2 and love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children. . .3 The Hebrew word used for teach connotes to repeat or say again and again; to sharpen or whet (e.g., to sharpen a knife through repeated friction or grinding); and to engrave or impress—driving God’s words into the heart so firmly that they become second nature.4 My son, do not lose sight of these—keep sound wisdom and discretion, and they will be life for your soul and adornment for our neck5
The responsibility to father a God fearing child is a high call; yet let not all fathers be daunted. We have the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom our Father sends in Jesus’ name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you. Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.6
We are raising disciples of Jesus [Latin, discipulus—a learner, pupil, or follower; the root word discere—disciple or discipline]. It is for discipline that you have to endure. God is treating you as sons. . . . Earthly fathers discipline children and are respected. Shall we not much more be subject to the Father of spirits and live? For they disciplined us for a short time as it seemed best to them, but he disciplines us for our good, that we may share his holiness. For the moment all discipline seems painful, rather than pleasant, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.7
Continue to exhort, encourage, and charge your children to walk in a manner worthy of God, who calls you into his own kingdom and glory.8 Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.9 God promises, if you have trained up your child in the way he should go, even when he is old he will not depart from it.10
Notes:
1. Proverbs 4:1-9
2. Deuteronomy 6:1-2
3. Deuteronomy 6:5-9
4. Gooogle—What is the Hebrew word for teach in Deuteronomy 6:7?
5. Proverbs 3:21-22
6. John 14:26-27
7. Hebrews 12:7-11
8. 1 Thessalonians 2:11-12
9. Romans 12:2
10. Proverbs 22:6
