“The true soldier fights, not because he hates what is in front of him, but because he loves what is behind him.” – GK Chesterton
Every day in some way, whether we realize it or not, there are soldiers who are preserving our freedoms and protecting our country. They are willing to do this at the expense of family, convenience, and even the supreme sacrifice of their very own lives should it be required of them. They are willing to take a stand to fight for what they believe in, for what our country stands for, as well as for their own friends and families. This requires a great amount of courage that is sometimes hard to find in today’s culture. But not only is this kind of courage needed on the battlefront, it is also needed on the homefront as well. This is a similar kind of courage it takes to be a successful dad.
Just like a soldier, courageous fatherhood requires us as dads to step up and do some things. Here are three of them:
1. Stand
In the heat of the battle, a good soldier will stand his ground. Not because it’s easy, and not because it’s enjoyable, but because it comes with the territory of being a soldier. There will be times as dads when we must also stand our ground as the head of our home because it’s what we’re called to do. There are many voices threatening us and telling us to back down and to submit to our culture of permissiveness in our home. Voices that would downplay the importance of our role as fathers, and voices that would tell us that our family’s rules and values are outdated and that we need to lighten up in areas that we instinctively know otherwise. This comes with the territory of being a father. As fathers, we know that we are ultimately responsible for the vision, leadership, and direction of our home, which requires us to stand up for our family and our values, both when it’s easy, and when it’s not.
2. Fight
Any good soldier knows the there is a real enemy who threatens the safety of everything he holds dear, and so, he is willing to fight in order to protect it. There will be times as dads when we too must fight for our families, to protect them, their lives, and their futures, even when this makes us ‘the bad guy’. There are so many things that sometimes seem “harmless”, yet that can potentially threaten our family and their well being. And so we must always stay alert, stay informed, and stay engaged in the fight through our fatherly position, our presence, and our prayers for our family.
3. Kneel
Every courageous father must be humble enough to regularly kneel for the sake of his family.On the battlefields of history, countless prayers were prayed, and not because they were all recorded in the history books, but because soldiers knew that what they were up against was so much bigger than they were. They needed the help and guidance of Someone more powerful than themselves. The same is true for us as dads. Our job is tough. Our responsibility is often bigger than we even realize. And so our help must come from Someone far greater than we are. Every courageous father must be humble enough to regularly kneel for the sake of his family.
Sound off: Are you ready to take on the challenges of courageous fatherhood to fight for your family?
Huddle up with your kids and ask, “How can I pray for you?”