“Listen children to a father’s instruction;
Pay attention, in order to gain insight;
For I am giving you good advice;
So don’t abandon my teaching.”
So the wise man of the day writes…
How bold an exhortation for a father to give to his children.
Who of us are so sure of the wisdom and rightness of our instructions to our children that we can instruct our children with such assuredness?
We are human. We make mistakes.
Sometimes, in addition to saying… “Do what I do. If I don’t do so, you don’t do so.” We find we need to say, and rightfully so… “Do what I say… and not what I do.”
We can say that if we are speaking from Moses’ Seat… speaking the Word…
If we pattern our ways after the example of Abba…Dear Father. Then even when we fall short in our own actions, we can still provide good instruction by pointing to You… who never falls short.
In spite of our actions, our words can still be worth listening to.
May we, as fathers, copy You.
When we fall short, Father, soften the hearts of our children towards us… may we have demonstrated love to them with such consistency that they know we care for them… and they extend the grace of forgiveness and trust towards us… as we continue to guide and direct them diligently and faithfully from a heart that is constantly seeking Your wisdom, the knowledge that You impart and insight to guide our lives and provide an example they can follow for the living of their lives.
Then we might say to them…”Try to imitate me, even as I myself try to imitate the Messiah.” …And… “Do what I say that my Father has told me, for His ways are perfect.”
“Above everything else, guard your heart;
For it is the source of life’s consequences.
Keep crooked speech out of your mouth,
Banish deceit from your lips.
Let your eyes look straight ahead,
Fix your gaze on what lies in front of you.
Level the path for your feet,
let all your ways be properly prepared;
Then deviate neither, right nor left;
And keep your foot far from evil.”
The Word of Yehovah God
Perfect, true and trustworthy…
We pray in Yeshua’s name…
Amen.
Proverbs 4:1-2, CJB
1 Corinthians 11:1 CJB
Proverbs 4:23-27 CJB
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