Father can be the bane of our existence when we are the child. Then, we grow up and we become the Father. The leading role in family belongs to him, he bears the brunt of the world to provide for his family and to prepare his children to live in a world that doesn’t care who they are. I have specific experiences that define my father. I have talked about one or two before and I am the man I am because of his influences and instruction. My point is that Father stands between the world and his family. He must meet out justice in the family and do so with some modicum of mercy. Sometimes, he must take the full force of justice, to protect his family.
I see my responsibilities very clearly and I know where I stand. I know what it means to be a man. Integrity, Responsibility, Honor, Virtue, and a willingness to work. A man must provide for his family, because if he doesn’t he is not a man. He can be a plumber or professor; he can take up any profession and should pursue that which interests him! He doesn’t have to make a lot of money or be home everyday. He must set a standard for his children and be consistent! Consistency is critical! He should not lie to his children. He also must teach them to work. He should make it clear what his expectations are be able to apologize when he makes mistakes. My Father’s take on his role was; if you can take what I can dish out, then you can handle what the world will throw at you. Now, I don’t quite agree with that philosophy, however, I work to prepare my boys for the world and try to teach them what it means to be men. Men of god, men of civility, men that will be able to stand against in the face of adversity and come through trials and battles of life with their integrity intact.
I pray that I can teach them to weather the storms of life and still be able to kneel before God and give a good accounting of their lives. Because the man that can do that, will be a great man … no matter what hand life deals him.
If you need to learn how to be a man, visit the Art of Manliness.
iron wil
