Father Role Models
Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord. Ephesians 6:4 ESV
When growing up, our parents advise us to choose good role models to imitate. Our choices can mean the difference between being led down a good path or a bad one. Thankfully, we can pray that those born in a Christian home will be blessed with good father role models. It should be every Christian father’s goal to follow God’s directives of teaching their children about the Lord, His righteous ways, as well as His saving truths. And when the need arises, exercise Christian discipline.
In Bible history, there are a number of cases where we learn of fathers who were either good or bad role models. We can learn from both either to follow exemplary ways or to guard against pitfalls. During this week, we will give examples of father role models.
One father, who was a bad role model, was Eli. He was a priest in the house of the Lord at Shiloh. Eli had two priestly sons named Hophni and Phinehas. Eli was not only to raise his two sons, but also have spiritual oversight of them as priests. Sadly, these two grew up to be wicked and ungodly. We learn that Hophni and Phinehas disobeyed the Lord by refusing to eat boiled sacrificial meat without its fat. They wanted their meat with fat on it for roasting. (1 Samuel 2:12-27) Also, they took sexual advantage of women who came to worship. While Eli rebuked them, he also indulged the two by not disciplining them or removing them from the priesthood (1 Samuel 2:22-25). In so doing, Eli honored his sons more than God (1 Samuel 2:29). Since Hophni and Phinehas did not correct their worldly ways, they suffered divine judgment by being killed in battle.
Although fathers fail from time to time in their parental duties, nevertheless we have a merciful God who forgives and promises to help fathers be good parents.
Oh, blest the parents who give heed
unto their children’s foremost need
And weary not of care or cost!
May none to them and heaven be lost!
The Lutheran Hymnal 625:3