Fatherhood: Do you serve or want to be served?

selective focus photography of man preparing food beside smiling women and kids

Are you following in the footsteps of servant leadership or expecting to be served? Do you serve others without requiring anything back? Are you expecting to be served without giving anything back? You are the head of the household and yet God tells us in His Word that we are to serve and sacrifice in text like:

‘For the husband is head of the wife, as Christ is head of the church, Himself being the Savior of the body. ‘

Ephesians 5:23

How to serve our wives and kids

‘Husbands, love your wives [seek the highest good for her and surround her with a caring, unselfish love], just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself up for her, so that He might sanctify the church, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word [of God], so that [in turn] He might present the church to Himself in glorious splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing; but that she would be holy [set apart for God] and blameless. Even so husbands should and are morally obligated to love their own wives as [being in a sense] their own bodies. He who loves his own wife loves himself. For no one ever hated his own body, but [instead] he nourishes and protects and cherishes it, just as Christ does the church, because we are members (parts) of His body. For this reason a man shall leave his father and his mother and shall be joined [and be faithfully devoted] to his wife , and the two shall become one flesh . This mystery [of two becoming one] is great; but I am speaking with reference to [the relationship of] Christ and the church.

However, each man among you [without exception] is to love his wife as his very own self [with behavior worthy of respect and esteem, always seeking the best for her with an attitude of lovingkindness], and the wife [must see to it] that she respects and delights in her husband [that she notices him and prefers him and treats him with loving concern, treasuring him, honoring him, and holding him dear].’

Ephesians 5:25-33
leadership lettering text on black background

Is your leadership style to serve or be served?
Photo by Anna Tarazevich on Pexels.com

Today’s Verse of the Day:

just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many [paying the price to set them free from the penalty of sin].”

Matthew 20:28 AMP

Firstly, let’s be dads looking to Jesus as our example. Secondly, let’s be like Jesus who did not come to be served but to serve, give, and sacrifice. Finally, let’s be the dads who serve our wives, kids, and world so that by completing the good works God has prepared in advance for us to accomplish He will receive the praise, the honor, and the glory in Jesus’ name.

How can we take God’s Word, today’s verse of the day, and apply it to be the dads?

Here are ways to serve based on today’s verse of the day:

  • Be willing to put the needs of your family before your own desires, just as Jesus put the needs of others before His own.
  • Lead your family by example, showing them what it means to serve with humility and grace.
  • Encourage your children to serve others in their communities, schools, and churches.
  • Look for ways to serve your wife, whether it be through acts of kindness, helping with household chores, or simply listening to her when she needs to talk.
  • Be a mentor and guide to your children, offering them wisdom, advice, and encouragement as they grow and develop.
  • Seek opportunities to serve in your church or community, such as volunteering at a local food bank, participating in a charity run, or helping with a service project.
  • Be quick to forgive, just as Jesus forgave those who wronged Him.
  • Take the time to listen to your children’s needs and concerns, and be patient and understanding when they make mistakes or experience challenges.
  • Strive to be a peacemaker in your home, resolving conflicts with love and compassion rather than anger and frustration.
  • Above all, seek to serve God with all your heart, soul, and mind, and teach your children to do the same.

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