A Fathers Place

 18‘I will arise and go to my father, and will say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you, 19“and I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Make me like one of your hired servants.” ’ 20“And he arose and came to his father. But when he was still a great way off, his father saw him and had compassion, and ran and fell on his neck and kissed him. 21“And the son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and in your sight, and am no longer worthy to be called your son.’ 22“But the father said to his servants, ‘Bring out the best robe and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand and sandals on his feet. 23‘And bring the fatted calf here and kill it, and let us eat and be merry; 24‘for this my son was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’ And they began to be merry.
Luke 15: 18 - 24 NKJV

I've had a few discussions lately on the role of a father in the lives of their families.  Granted, having never been a father myself, I still have a pretty good idea of how that story goes.  Over the years I have had the examples, the good, bad and the ugly of how a father interacts with his family.  When they say that there is no instruction book as to the role of a father I would agree...to a point.  While many self help gurus have, over the years, attempted to give their own take on fatherhood, nothing beats personal exeperience.  There is no self help book that will ever duplicate the school of hard knocks lessons which life will bring upon all parents.  That's just the way life is.  So, what is a fathers place in the family?  Well, I would agree that while the role of leadership in the family dynamic traditionaly falls upon our fathers, there will always be exceptions to this as well.  Having grown up in a family where my own father was not involved, I undersatand all too well that things don't always fit the traditional plan.  The traditional plan is one where the father is the head of the family while the wife and mother is the tail of the operation.  Well, I'm here to tell you that the most loving and successful families which I have been involved with over the years refused to follow this model.  On the contrary, a few of the most love centered families are the ones where each parent is loved, respected and instilled with their own place in leading the family.  The old time Ozzy And Harriet view of the father going off to work each day while wifey stays home to ensure all his needs are met no longer holds true.  If it even ever did.  I'm a firm believer that both parents need to take upon a leadership role in order for the family to survive against the world we live in.  So, just where is the fathers place in his family?

1Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of aGod! Therefore the world does not know bus, because it did not know Him. 2Beloved, now we are children of God; and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is.
1 John 3: 1 - 2 NKJV

I have often wondered, just where is my place in the family of God?  What standing do I have in Him?  I know where I stand with my earthly parents, for from them I have inherited that which has made me who I am today.  However, heredity only goes so far in our development.  Our own experiences shape us as well.  Has not God given us experiences which have shaped all who we are today?  I would make the argument that there is nothing we have experienced in our lives which God was not personally involved in.  We are told that Christ Jesus lives through us {Galations 2:20}.  Each day He shares with us all we experience.  We are assured that we are children of the most high {1 John 3:1}.  This is our standing in the family of God.  In the family of our Lord there are no dysfuctional families nor rude relatives.  In the family of God there are no missing parents nor broken families.  We are children of the living God as well as heirs of the promise of Christ Jesus {Romans 8:17}.  Some might argue, but I think that not even the wealthiest of families could guarantee such a lavish future.
So, where is a fathers place in his family?  A father will find his place in the lives of his children.  A father will manifest that love of Christ in his own love and compassion for his spouse.  A father will remain firm but loving in his discipline of his children, knowing that his actions will directly affect their own lives.  Above all, a father will fill his household with the love of Christ Jesus who lives through him.  This is the fathers place.

27“All things have been delivered to Me by My Father, and no one knows the Son except the Father. Nor does anyone know the Father except the Son, and the one to whom the Son wills to reveal Him.
Matthew 11: 27 NKJV

~Scott~