This post was written by my sweet husband. It is a post written for dads, by a dad.
With only 4 seconds left on the clock and the national championship at stake, the moment of truth has become an unsettling reality for the home team. The difference between victory and defeat will be determined by a 30 yard field goal. Many long hours, sweat and tears, have been invested and the determination of triumph lies on the shoulder of one individual. The whistle is blown; the ball is kicked. For a moment, every heart stops and a second of bitter silence pierces through the air like a sword. It’s moments like these that the determination of the outcome will either make a man a hero or the most unpopular person for thousands of passionate fans. It seems as if this scenario is repeated continuously, over and over again, every football season.
The consequences of missing the mark remind me of an experience I had with my oldest boy. I was remodeling my bathroom, minding my own business, perfectly placing one tile at a time. In the background I could hear the constant humming of the box fan I placed in front of the bath tub. My concentration was suddenly broken with the words, “Hi dad” coming from my son. He looked at me with his big beautiful eyes and smiled at me. I turned my head and figured he went back to playing with his brother. From out of nowhere, I felt a mist. There was something in the air. I could smell it and could almost taste it. I looked back and my son was looking at me, trying to pee in the toilet, smiling at me and completely missing the mark. Needless to say, the box fan accidentally became the target. The Lord used that situation to really speak to me that day concerning how important it is to hit the target when it comes to being a father. The reality is that when we as fathers miss the target the effects just do not stop with us but they affect everyone around us. I was minding my own business, carefully placing tile on the wall, when I became the unfortunate victim.
I can’t understand the lack of passion by so many men when it comes to being the champion father we are called to be. I’ve seen men more intimately familiar with the SEC football schedule and its players then they are with the lives of their children or wife. There is nothing wrong with being a sports fan, but there is something really wrong with failing to be as passionate about your children and relationship with your wife. As a father you only get one chance, much like that field goal kicker, to make the difference in their lives. Once the whistle is blown and the time has expired you cannot go back and change the score. You have been given the greatest responsibility and most precious gift; you have been called to be a father to your children and a husband to your wife. All other things in life pale in comparison to the rewards that are reaped from doing a job well done. A man’s first ministry begins with his family and it what matters most is that he hits the mark.
You shall know that your tent is at peace,and you shall inspect your fold and miss nothing. -Job 5:24
