PASSING ON THE BATON, NO. 21e - KEEP GOING TO THE END continued.

9. Failing to take your own responsibility

Relying on others to pass on biblical values to your family is copping out on one of the most important principles of fatherhood.

Many men will negate their own responsibilities by passing it on to their wives, or to the church with all its Sunday school land youth programs. The truth is that God has squarely placed this responsibility primarily on fathers. This is what fathering is all about.

It is better for the children in the everyday course of life to have fathers who will take the time to instruct their children as to the rights and wrongs of their own behavior, as well as the behavior of friends and associates. For example, the anger, looting, and vandalism in Ferguson, Missouri by youths who have not been raised in biblical values, gives an opportunity for fathers to share with their families about what is right and wrong and the lessons to be learned.

What do we teach our children about a young man who has just robbed a convenience store, bullied aside the owner when asked to pay for the goods, walks down the middle of the road, assaults a police officer in his car, tries to take his weapon, and then ends up getting shot to death? This has resulted in outrage and rioting by angry mobs who refuse to acknowledge that the policeman shot him in self defense. This now threatens to cause more riots in other cities and states across the nation.

Men, we can teach certain aspects of all this with our growing families and explain to them the lessons that we, as well as our nation, need to learn regarding such incidents.

There are so many teaching moments in everyday life. What a pity it is to not seize them, learn from them, and teach our children the right way.

Be encouraged.

Colin Campbell