Family Man

Jim Redmond showed the amazing heart of a Dad at the 1992 Barcelona Olympics when he burst through security to help his son Derek cross the finish line after tearing his hamstring in the middle of his race.  

"When King David was old and well advanced in his years, he could not keep warm even when they put covers over him.  So his servants said to him, 'Let us look for a young virgin to attend to attend to the king and take care of him'.... They searched throughout Israel for a beautiful girl and found Abishag ... she took care of the kind and waited on him, but the king had no intimate relations with her."   - 1 Kings 1:1-2

In the passage above, David, the most famous and king that had ever lived lies alone on his deathbed. David's reign had been marked by incredible military and national success, but all at the cost of his family. David committed adultery early on and pitted each of his wives against each other, all fighting for the affection of the king and for the rights of the their child as the rightful successor to the throne.  David's own children had affairs with each other, killed each other, became outlaws and even tried to kill their own father.  The condition  of  David's home sounds extreme and surprising for a wonderful king after God's own heart, but it is no different that most our homes today.   For those of you that are fathers, your kids and your wife, like David's, are dying for your attention, affection and love.  David was successful in his career, socially and at the office but he failed at home.  As a result, he died a lonely death, abandoned by the family he had abandoned and comforted only but a strange teenage girl.  

I believe God gives us David's example of failing at home to show you and I that a man who fails at home, fails in life.  There has never been more of a need for great dad's who understand and live out this principle every day than right now.  Don't believe me?  Just take a second to think about the sons and daughters that are being raised in today's homes.

Today's young men don't know how to be men.  They shirk responsibility, don't know how to treat a lady, and fall into the trap of thinking their inability to be a man means they must be homosexual.  Most of today's young women don't feel loved or appreciated by their fathers and seek attention from other men any way they can get it.  They give up their bodies, settle for love from guys who are jerks, believe lies about the way they should look and have zero self confidence or self worth.  If you are a Dad right now, you have a huge job.  If you're not a father just yet, get ready because your time is coming.  

There is no higher calling in life than being a parent, and especially a Dad.  In, Jesus' last words to believers on earth he tells us to go and make disciples of all people.  Jesus did this himself in taking twelve men under his wing, spending time with them, teaching them, loving them, forgiving them, and pouring into their lives in every way possible.  I can't think of any better setting to do this in than in a parent - child relationship.  God has built into our lives an 18-year window of discipleship training with our children and that is an opportunity we can't let slip by.  If you want to be a man after God's own heart, follow his example and the example of Jesus by choosing success at home over everything else.  If your business, 401k or social standing suffer that's okay.  The impact left by your children and your children children's  will be far greater than anything you could have accomplished in ten lifetimes anyway.  

"Even when I am old and gray, do not forsake me O God, till I declare your power to the next generation, your power to all who are to come."  - Psalm 71:18

It was early. After clearing the sleep out of my eyes, I quickly noticed the beautiful sun rays filtering through the trees as well as the large number of high school kids that were beginning to gather in front of me. I was a counselor at Kanakuk Kamps at the time and had been asked to speak at a morning devotional time called the "Launch Pad". Nervous and intimidating a bit by the crowd, I managed to fumble through my talk that morning. Hopefully at least one person heard something beneficial. Looking back, I realize that Joe and the rest of the leadership staff didn't have to let me speak but I was so thankful for the opportunity. In doing so they had given me a chance to practice speaking in front of people and improve my leadership skills.

We see a similar passion for leadership development with King David in 1 Kings 2:2-4. In these verses David gives his son Solomom a charge saying things like, "Be strong, show yourself a man, observe what the Lord requires, walk in his ways, keep his commands," and many others. David understood that the kingdom he had worked so hard to build would go to waste if there was not good ruler to reign in his place. It is no different than you and I. Bill Hybels in his book, Courageous Leadership, says that a leader is at his or her very best when they are helping those around them become better leaders. This is the best way for you and I to make an impact. A team of leaders reaching out to change the world around them will be far more effective than one super leader reaching out alone could ever be. Whereever you go and whatever you do, make sure to invest in those around you and give young leaders opportunties to fail, learn and lead.

"Even when I am old and gray, do not forsake me, O God, till I declare your power to the next generation, your might to all who are to come." (Psalms 71:18)

The next generation is refereced 32 times in the book of Psalms alone. King David, the man after God's own heart, understood that passing on your leadership heritage and Christian heritage is very important to the Lord. Christ modeled this with his disciples and we need to do the same as disciplers and fishers of men.