The Influence Of The Father

Every Father’s Day weekend we have our family reunion. On Saturday when I went home to be with my family, I looked around and had love for everyone who was there. However, there was something special about Dad being there! Now, I can honestly say that Dad and I did not always see eye to eye with each other. But as I look back over that time, I would not trade it for the world. I think that I can identify with Solomon here. “I am my father’s son.”

In verse four, a great testimony to Solomon’s father. David instructed Solomon to keep his commandments. I love those last two words, “and live.” Do you know that many times when we hurt ourselves or even killed it is because we acted and spoke out of foolishness. It is a proven fact based upon different studies that the most successful people in this world are those who have a mother and a father in their home. There are exceptions. There are those who only had one parent and overcame that to do well for themselves.

There is a joy to a father when his children remember what he has told them. When they remember what you have told them, they have listened and done what you told them. We better be very careful that we spend enough time with our children today to mold them into who God wants them to be.

In verse five, we are encouraged to gain wisdom. The greatest thing that a father and grandfather can do for a child is to impart words of wisdom into their life. May I suggest two things to you? The first is this, wisdom comes from life’s experience. You have been there as a father. You have seen this before. Therefore, you are able to impart words of wisdom into your children’s life so that they would not make a mistake. Secondly, wisdom comes from God’s word. You have the ability to impart spiritual wisdom into there life. It is great when a child has a father to help them through this life. But it is even greater when a father takes time to encourage his children into the depths of knowing God and his word. The father ought to be an example of God the Heavenly Father. When our children look at us, they ought to be able to see God living in us. They ought to see that example.

In verse six, Solomon instructs to keep wisdom in our lives. We are not to forsake wisdom. Wisdom has the ability to keep us from harm. Foolishness has the ability to harm us. A few weeks ago, when our church basement flooded, I saw a dry spot in the basement so I jumped from the step to the dry spot. Brother Ernie was here. He said, “I have a new sump pump at home I will go get it and my rubber boots.” He went got the things that he needed. He turned the electric off and put the new sump pump in. While he stood there in his rubber boots, there I stood bare footed. It not dawn on me until about a week later, that’s what dads are for by the way. Dad said, “There wasn’t any water standing over those electrical outlets were there?” Then it dawned on me, I was so glad that the water was only about two inches deep!

You see, out of the foolishness of my action I had stepped into water that could have been a very dangerous situation. You see that was words of wisdom from Dad. He had been there. He knew how dangerous it could be. That is the type of wisdom that can be imparted in every area of our lives by life’s experience and by knowing God. God enabled my father to not just know the practical things in this earth like not stepping into the water of a flooded basement but also in the spiritual wisdom.