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"Mommy, where is daddy? Is he going to be home in time to eat dinner with us tonight?" "Daddy has to work hard and late each night to provide for us, honey!" Mom explains.
All across America today, this is the usual conversation around the dinner table. I know, because I have been as guilty as anyone with the excuse that I have to work late to provide for my family. In reality, our first priorities are at home with our family. Our God is a providential God and will take care of all our needs. Isaiah 64:4 puts it, "For since the world began, no ear has heard, and no eye has seen a God like you, who works for those who wait for Him!" -NLT We need to put our trust back in almighty God and allow Him to provide for our families, while we return to the dinner table to be with our wives and children. In a world of fast food, fast cars, and faster lives, having a meal around the dinner table has all but become a thing of the past. Today, we need to be challenged as real men to come back to the dinner table so we can find out what the heartbeat of our families are. I enjoy this next passage each time I read it for its timely truth and honorable text. Psalm 128:3, "Your wife shall be like a fruitful vine in the innermost parts of your house; your children shall be like olive plants around your table." -AMP Anytime we are all able to eat at the same time around our table I am very proud to look up and see all the children and my fruitful wife setting around the table God has made for us. My wife and I are striving to raise 9 plus kids into young christian adults. I stress the striving part of that, because it is not as easy as writing it on this blog, but our hearts are at peace in that direction. We do not want to raise kids to be kids. Most of our public schools and many of the churches today are training kids to just be kids by segregating them into groups of only their age and only one focus which is knowledge only. Most of us should know that knowledge in and of itself will not help our children in their adult life. It is the wisdom that comes from knowing a loving and giving God that will go much farther. You do not have to look far to see an example of training the kid to be a kid by looking into each college campus and the behavior of most kids attending not to mention the professors teaching at these colleges. How can we justify sending our kids out into the world when we have spent very little time training them in the ways of God and Christian responsibility. If the kids are going to a public School the public school system has the kids 32 plus hours weekly, the church another 4 hours per week or more, the sports venues the remaining hours, how is it that we can stand before a holy God and tell him we raised our children the best we could? We cannot if we are to be truthful. Only Gods wonderful grace can get us all through. Men/Fathers, I encourage you to bring your family back to the dinner table, even if it means giving up some sports activities, church activities, work opportunities, etc. If that is what is needed we should do it...the rewards from your children will be priceless and the jewels in your crown in heaven will be wonderful. Make your dinner table a table of life and joy for your family again!
Copy Right Scott Bailey 2006
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