Be Spontaneous!
As men, we like to plan. Perhaps you have said, “Make a plan, stick to the plan!” This is a good way to approach life. It’s how things get built. It’s how projects are completed. It’s how vacations accomplish so much. It’s how dads move things forward for their families. It’s how things get done. Right?
But it’s not how kids live.
Have you ever seen a kid PLAN? Children have a wonderful trait that we lose as adults. They live in the moment. The reality is, we have our plans, but we must always be ready for our Heavenly Father to alter them. We plan what we want, our Father intervenes with what we need.
In their hearts humans plan their course, but the Lord establishes their steps.
– Proverbs 16:9
As our kids dads, we need to learn to live in the moment. Instead of thinking about the future, we need to be focused on NOW. That’s what’s behind the thought, “Be the Dad Today.”
Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.
– Matthew 6:34
As the head of our families, we ought to be planning ahead, but not at the expense of today. If there is something you ought to do someday, perhaps that day is TODAY. Surprise your kid with something today. Make today count.
Allow we to slightly edit the end of James chapter four:
Now listen here, you dads who say, “Today or tomorrow we will do this or that for my family,” Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. Instead, you ought to say, “If it is the Lord’s will, we will live and do this or that.” As it is, you are missing opportunities today. If anyone, then, knows the good they ought to do for their kids and doesn’t do it, missing out! (James 4:13-17 edited!)
Be Proud
Be Proud?!?!
I know. This isn’t what you are expecting on a “fathering website.” You expect me to tell you to be humble, meek, and soft-spoken. Well, O.K. Be those things too.
But BE PROUD as well! How can I say that? Simply because there is a significant difference between pride that is sinful (arrogance) and pride that is simply an honest measurement of oneself that is positive.
The key to the difference? It is whether you are measuring yourself in comparison to others. Consider what the Bible says:
Each one should test their own actions. Then they can take pride in themselves alone, without comparing themselves to someone else.
– Galatians 6:4
You see? We OUGHT to be considering whether we are doing a good job as a dad – if we are making each day count. And when we test our own actions and know in our heart, “I hit that one out of the park!” We should feel PROUD about it!
The bad kind of pride comes when we start thinking too highly of ourselves. (We all know someone like that, don’t we?) The Bible warns about that to: