Be Present
Anyone who does not provide for their relatives, and especially for their own household, has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever. (1 Timothy 5:8)
Part of the role we have as fathers is to be present for our family and to provide for them. In fact, men are uniquely wired with this desire to provide and take care of their family. So when we are not fulfilling that innate desire, we are in a sense denying part of the reason we were created as men.
Now when I say provision, many of you immediately think of provision in the context of finances. And while financial provision and security is an important aspect of life to focus on, that’s not the only type of provision you can give your family.
You can provide moral support for your wife and kids. You can provide encouragement. You can provide a listening ear when they need to talk. You can provide wisdom when they need help making a decision or fixing a problem they’re facing. At the end of the day, there is so much more you can offer to your family besides solely providing for them financially. But what’s important to realize is that in order to provide these things, you must be present.
It’s going to be very difficult for you to give encouragement, wisdom, guidance, and support to your family if you’re never around them. If you’re not taking the time to invest in the relationships you have with your wife and kids, if you’re intentionally spending time with them, you’re not going to be able give them the provision they want and need.
So I would encourage you, if you are a father, to ask yourself this question: Am I consistently present in the relationships with my family members? If the answer is yes, then keep showing up for your family, providing them with all the love and encouragement you have to offer. But if the answer is no, I would urge you to determine why you haven’t been present up until this point, and then figure out what changes need to be made so that you can start showing up for the people you care about, for your presence matters more than you think.
Part of the role we have as fathers is to be present for our family and to provide for them. In fact, men are uniquely wired with this desire to provide and take care of their family. So when we are not fulfilling that innate desire, we are in a sense denying part of the reason we were created as men.
Now when I say provision, many of you immediately think of provision in the context of finances. And while financial provision and security is an important aspect of life to focus on, that’s not the only type of provision you can give your family.
You can provide moral support for your wife and kids. You can provide encouragement. You can provide a listening ear when they need to talk. You can provide wisdom when they need help making a decision or fixing a problem they’re facing. At the end of the day, there is so much more you can offer to your family besides solely providing for them financially. But what’s important to realize is that in order to provide these things, you must be present.
It’s going to be very difficult for you to give encouragement, wisdom, guidance, and support to your family if you’re never around them. If you’re not taking the time to invest in the relationships you have with your wife and kids, if you’re intentionally spending time with them, you’re not going to be able give them the provision they want and need.
So I would encourage you, if you are a father, to ask yourself this question: Am I consistently present in the relationships with my family members? If the answer is yes, then keep showing up for your family, providing them with all the love and encouragement you have to offer. But if the answer is no, I would urge you to determine why you haven’t been present up until this point, and then figure out what changes need to be made so that you can start showing up for the people you care about, for your presence matters more than you think.
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2 Comments
Thank You Dr Dodd for writing this devotional. I'm a child of a "broken family" and a father as well. As a young child I struggled with not having a father in my life .. then my mom met a wonderful man who became the "dad" I needed and grew to love! We all need a father in our lives. I'm so glad to know my "Heavenly Father" and to share His existence with my own children and grandchildren.
I do still provide for my children when I can.