By Althea Simpson

“The father represents the divine Lawgiver in his family. He is a laborer together with God, carrying out the gracious designs of God and establishing in his children upright principles, enabling them to form pure and virtuous characters…” – Ellen G. White (AH 212.2)

Fatherhood is an awesome responsibility. The father is the priest of the household and a strong pillar for the development of his child/children. They look up to him to provide a feeling of security both in a physical and emotional sense. While mothers may try to fill the gap of an absentee father, they can never replicate the role of a father. The father is the masculine wall of trust and protection. He is a provider and a leader and his duty is to balance his male characteristics with that of the female in helping to raise well adjusted children.

Because sin entered the world, we do not live in Utopia. Hence, there are absentee fathers, “dead beat dads”, fathers who are single parents and many, who for varying reasons, abandon their roles. We cannot escape this reality but we can help and encourage where our reach extends.

As we celebrate fathers today, we acknowledge the stellar job of those fathers who approach their responsibilities in a mature manner. We laud the sacrifice of those fathers who step up to the plate and even under dire circumstances shoulder their responsibilities alone.

Whether it is a nuclear family, extended family, single parent family or any other family type, the father is crucial to the development of the child and while it may be a very challenging role, the input defines the output and it can be extremely rewarding.

Fathers who are faithful stewards will approach their responsibilities with diligence, As a faithful steward, you will raise your sons and daughters to grow in the likeness and character of God! This message comes with a challenge to all fathers, the world over, to contribute significantly to your child/children’s development.

Someone once said,
“Every father should remember one day his son will follow his example, not his advice.” Be careful to set the right example and to pattern the standard of a man your daughter should select as a partner.

We salute all fathers of substance and hope and pray that it will be a beautiful day and that you will receive the recognition that you duly deserve.
Happy Father’s Day!!!!

“My father didn’t tell me how to live. He lived and let me watch him do it.” –Clarence Budington Kelland