As the deputy sheriffs finish their morning briefing in Sherwood Pictures’ new film Courageous, the sheriff announces one last item.
"I received an email", he tells them, "and I want you to know about it. The violent gang members, run-away's, high school dropouts, and teens in prison—the sorts of kids who get into trouble with the law—have something in common: Most of them are from fatherless homes.”
“When a father is absent,” he goes on, “kids are five times more likely to commit suicide or use drugs. They’re twenty times more likely to wind up in prison. So tonight after you clock out,” he adds, “go home and love your families.”
The Lord intended both father and mother to reside within the home. Try as you might, but life without both parents in the home is not as healthy as it could potentially be. One without the other puts so much weight on the single parent that they are divided. Their energy goes into being the provider rather than the nurturer, the teacher, the support.
Life is not perfect. Situations arise-they always will. What matters is that you did your best. Your children will love you no matter what. I can promise you that. Just do your best-and at the end of the day, forget about the world-Go home and love your families.
Further along in the movie one of the main characters, Adam Mitchell gives a Fathers Day speech. These are just a few of his words:
"There are some men who, regardless of the mistakes we’ve made in the past, regardless of what our fathers did not do for us, will give the strength of our arms and the rest of our days to loving God with all that we are and to teach our children to do the same—and whenever possible, to love and mentor others who have no father in their lives but who desperately need help and direction.
God’s word shows us that God desires for every father to courageously step up and do whatever it takes to be involved in the lives of his children. More than just being there for them or providing for them, he is to walk with them through their young lives and be a visual representation of the character of God, their Father in heaven.
Who will accept the responsibility of providing and protecting my family? Who will ask God to break the chain of destructive patterns in my family? Who will pray for, and bless my children to boldly pursue whatever God calls them to do?
In my home, the decision has already been made. You don’t have to ask who will guide my family because, by God’s grace, I will. You don’t have to ask who will teach my son to follow Christ because I will."
So where are you, men of courage? Where are you, fathers who fear the Lord?
It’s time to rise up and answer the call God has given you and say,
I will! I will! I will!
Marianne Williamson
“Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, 'Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous?' Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It's not just in some of us; it's in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.”
No comments:
Post a Comment