Why Do We Keep Daddy Around?
Job 1:1-12
1 In the land of Uz there lived a man whose name was Job. This man was blameless and upright; he feared God and shunned evil.
2 He had seven sons and three daughters,
3 and he owned seven thousand sheep, three thousand camels, five hundred yoke of oxen and five hundred donkeys, and had a large number of servants. He was the greatest man among all the people of the East.
4 His sons used to take turns holding feasts in their homes, and they would invite their three sisters to eat and drink with them.
5 When a period of feasting had run its course, Job would send and have them purified. Early in the morning he would sacrifice a burnt offering for each of them, thinking, "Perhaps my children have sinned and cursed God in their hearts." This was Job’s regular custom.
6 One day the angels came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan also came with them.
7 The LORD said to Satan, "Where have you come from?" Satan answered the LORD, "From roaming through the earth and going back and forth in it."
8 Then the LORD said to Satan, "Have you considered my servant Job? There is no one on earth like him; he is blameless and upright, a man who fears God and shuns evil."
9 "Does Job fear God for nothing?" Satan replied.
10 "Have you not put a hedge around him and his household and everything he has? You have blessed the work of his hands, so that his flocks and herds are spread throughout the land.
11 But stretch out your hand and strike everything he has, and he will surely curse you to your face."
12 The LORD said to Satan, "Very well, then, everything he has is in your hands, but on the man himself do not lay a finger." Then Satan went out from the presence of the LORD.
A LITTLE GIRL ONCE SAID TO HER MOTHER, “Mommy, if Santa Claus brings our presents, and God gives us our daily bread, and Uncle Sam gives us Social Security, why do we keep daddy around?”
Now there’s a question that begs answering—and that’s exactly what we’re going to do in this sermon.
Dr. James Dobson:
“The average dad in America talks to his children about 30 seconds a day!”
“The average child spends between 40 and 50 hours each week in front of the TV set.
Illus.: “Danny? We Thought You Meant Daddy!”
Did you hear about the children who begged their parents for a hamster and after the usual fervent vows that they alone would care for it, they got one. They named it Danny. Two months later, when mom found herself responsible for cleaning and feeding the creature, she located a prospective new home for it. The children took the news of Danny’s imminent departure quite well, though one of them remarked, “He’s been around here a long time—we’ll miss him.” “Yes,” mom replied, “But he’s too much work for one person, and since I’m that one person, I say he goes.” Another child offered, “Well, maybe if he wouldn’t eat so much and wouldn’t be so messy, we could keep him.” But mom was firm. “Its time to take Danny to his new home now,: she insisted. “Go and get his cage.” With one voice and in tearful outrage the children shouted, “Danny? We thought you said, Daddy!”
Just because some fathers have abdicated their role, it doesn’t mean that they are obsolete.
A Father’s Image
4 years old: My daddy can do anything!
7 years: My dad knows a lot—a whole lot!
8 years: My father does not know quite everything.
12 years: O well, naturally dad doesn’t know that much.
14 years: Dad? He’s too old fashioned!
21 years: Oh, the old man? He’s way out of touch.
25 years: Poor dad, he’s way behind the times.
30 years: I wonder what dad thinks about it?
35 years: Before we decide, let’s get dad’s opinion.
50 years: I wonder what dad would have done about it?
60 years: There wasn’t much my dad didn’t know.
65 years: I wish I could talk it over with dad; boy, do I miss him!
Father defined: A man who carries photographs where his money used to be.
IDEAL FATHER won a toy in a raffle and called his kids together to ask which one should get it. He asked, “Who is the most obedient? Who never talks back to mother? Who does everything she says?” Just then 5 small voices answered in unison, “You play with it daddy.”
Then God Made Dads
When the Lord was creating fathers he started with a tall frame. And
an angel standing nearby said, “What kind of father is that? If You’re
going to make children so close to the ground, why have you put
fathers up so high? He won’t be able to shoot marbles without
kneeling. He won’t be able to tuck a child in bed without bending.
He won’t even be able to kiss a child without stooping?” And God
Smiled and said, “Yes, but if I make him child size, who will the
Children have to look up to?”
And when God made the father’s hands, they were large and
skinny. And the angel shook his head and said, I don’t think You
want to make hand like that. Large hands are clumsy. They can’t
manage diaper pins, small buttons, rubber bands on pony tails, or
even remove splinters caused by baseball bats.” God smiled again
and said, “I know, but they’re large enough to hold everything a
small boy empties from his pockets at the end of the day—yet
small enough to cup a child’s face in his hands.”
And then, God molded long, slim legs and broad shoulders.
The angel nearly had a heart attack. “Boy, this is the end of the
week, all right!” he said. How’s he going to pull a child close to
him without the kid falling between his legs?” And God smiled
and said, “A mother needs a lap but a father needs strong
shoulders to pull a sled, balance a boy on a bicycle, or hold a
sleepy head on the way home from the circus.”
God was in the middle of creating two of the largest feet anyone
Had ever seen when the angel could not be contained any longer.
“That’s not fair,” he said. “Do you honestly think that those large
canal boats are going to dig out of bed early in the morning when
the baby cries? or walk through a small birthday party without
crushing at least three of the guests?” And God smiles again and
said, “They’ll work. You’ll see. They’ll scare off mice at a summer
cabin, or display shoes that will be a challenge.”
God worked throughout the night, giving the father few words,
but a firm voice and eyes that saw everything. Finally, almost
as an afterthought, he added tears. Then He turned to the
angel and said, “Now are we satisfied that he can love as much
as a mother?” And the angel was silent!
-Erma Bombeck
Its not easy, playing the role of father in our modern society. There are pressures brought to bear—pressures to succeed, to provide the best, to keep up with everyone. Some have had poor role models.
DUSTY LIKE DADDY
As a young pastor, I worked at a feed processing plant in Celina, Ohio. Each night when I went home, my boys would look at me and
say, "Boy, dad, you sure are dusty!" I grumbled within myself, but smiled at them and said, "Yes, I sure am dusty"
On a Saturday morning, I started washing my car. As I did this, my oldest son, 4 years old at that time, began to pick up the small
stones in our drive and rubbed them onto his pants. I asked, "What are you doing?" He said, "I want to be dusty like you dad." At that time, I realized that if a son would look up to his father for being dusty, he would look up to dad for anything. What a responsibility.
Many fathers have resigned the responsibilities and privileges which God gave them. They will be sorry and empty when they are old. And if their sons follow their pattern, their later years will also be filled with much regret.
But for many dads its not too late. God has furnished us with enough information from His Word to enable us to be successful fathers.
Examples of good fathers
Examples of bad fathers
Principles that foster godly fatherhood
Without question, one of the most outstanding examples of a godly father is that of Job. Pattern your life after him, dad, and you will never fail in your role.
Let’s take a careful look at this man and see what qualities he possessed. Perhaps we can glean from his life something that will be of benefit to us today.
1. He Was Highly Esteemed by God
Noteworthy enough to have his character immortalized in the Word of God—highly spoken of.
Held in high regard by God—used as an example before Satan of one who possessed integrity (1:6-12).
Do you suppose this scene is ever repeated (see Zechariah 3:1, Joshua the high priest and Rev. 12:1, accuser of the brethren is cast down). Are you held in high esteem by God?
2. He Was a Deeply Spiritual Man
Not a shallow believer—he was committed.
His spiritual life is outlined for us in verse one
- blameless: whole heart was disposed toward God
- upright: straight forward, honest, just
- feared God: stood in awe of God’s holiness, power
- shunned evil: deliberately turned away from sin
Here’s a description of a man who truly walked with God. The example of godliness that he set before his children must have warmed the heart of God. Remember: THE FATHER’S LIFE IS THE CHILD’S COPY BOOK!
3. He Had His Priorities in Proper Order
He was not possessed by his possessions (and he had plenty). Although he prospered materially, he still had time for his children. In fact, the inference here is that his children came before his business, even though they may have had families of their own.
Illus.: “Guilty Man Broken by Father’s Act” (p.200, James Hewett, Illustrations Unlimited)
4. He Understood the Priestly Function of the Father
As priest of the family, Job went before God on their behalf, offering sacrifices for them. It says in verse 5 that he rose up early in the morning to do this. I wonder how many dads today would rise up early in the morning to pray for their kids? Many won’t even get up early to take them to Sunday school!
No father could possibly serve as the priest of his family unless he was somehow involved in instructing his children in the things of God—by precept and example.
Unless the father accepts spiritual leadership in his home, he cannot be the real head of the home.
What good is a man to his children if he can teach them skills, sports, sex and science, but leaves out matters about their souls? No man has all the answers, but pity the dad whose sons and daughters become aware that he hasn’t even tried to teach them about God.
How many times have I heard a man say, “I’m not a church-going man. I leave religion to the wife and kids.” He has surrendered his priesthood and the devil dances with glee.
A Modern Fable
Once upon a time there was a little boy. When he was three weeks old his parents turned him over to a baby-sitter.
When he was two, they dressed him up like a cowboy and gave him a toy gun.
When he was three, everybody said, “How cute as he went about singing a beer commercial.
When he was six, his father occasionally dropped him off at Sunday school on his way to the golf course.
When he was eight, they bought him a BB gun and taught him how to shoot sparrows. He learned to shoot windshields by himself.
When he was ten, he spent his after-school time squatting at a drug-store news stand reading comic books. His parents both worked in the daytime.
When he was thirteen, he told his parents that other boys stayed out as long as they wanted to—so they said he could.
When he was fourteen, they gave him a deadly 2-ton machine, wrangled a license for him to drive it, and told him to be careful.
When he was fifteen, the police called his home one night and said, “We have your boy. He’s in trouble.” The father screamed, “My boy, in trouble? It can’t be my boy!” But it was.
Moral: AS THE TWIG IS BENT, IT IS APT TO SNAP BACK IN YOUR FACE!
CONCLUSION
I urge you fathers to become priest once more.
Be the first one out of bed on the Lord’s Day
Bring your family to S. S. and church
Lead your family to the altar that they may kneel beside you in prayer
George Herbert was right when he said, “One father is worth a hundred teachers!”
Payer for Dads
