As we wrap up this 7-day devotional, being able to leave a legacy for dads, I am blessed to report that I received a copy of the book upon which this devotional was created titled “Radical Wisdom” A Daily Journey For Leaders by Regi Campbell and am excited to get to dig into this one in the coming year. God put a check in my spirit early on in my journey to write this blog to check with the authors to make sure they are ok with me posting. Through 2022 I have been blessed to get to connect with many people as I have reached out to the authors of these devotionals and have been blessed with their responses and getting to stay connected with some of them as they had multiple devotionals from this year’s readings. I look forward to staying connected and reconnecting with them heading into the future.
As we unwrap this devotional on Christmas day, let’s remember its purpose before we jump into it:
It’s crazy how much our dads shape us. No one escapes the power and influence of their earthly father. And since most men feel unprepared to be fathers, it’s essential to seek guidance – from Scripture and from other dads. Radical Wisdom is a journey toward wisdom and insight for fathers, combining principles and wisdom from Scripture with the experience of an older, wiser dad who’s learned from his mistakes.
Radical Wisdom: A 7-Day Journey For Fathers | Devotional Reading Plan | YouVersion Bible
Scripture from Today’s Devotional:
‘Now Abraham journeyed from there toward the Negev (the South country), and settled between Kadesh and Shur; then he lived temporarily in Gerar. Abraham said [again] of Sarah his wife, “She is my sister.” So Abimelech king of Gerar sent and took Sarah [into his harem]. ‘
Genesis 20:1-2
‘The men of the place asked him about his wife, and he said, “She is my sister,” for he was afraid to say, “my wife”—thinking, “the men of the place might kill me on account of Rebekah, since she is very beautiful.” It happened when he had been there a long time, that Abimelech king of the Philistines looked out of a window and saw Isaac caressing Rebekah his wife. Then Abimelech called Isaac and said, “See here, Rebekah is in fact your wife! How did you [dare to] say to me, ‘She is my sister’?” And Isaac said to him, “Because I thought I might be killed because of her [desirability].” ‘
Genesis 26:7-9
‘Jacob had cooked [reddish-brown lentil] stew [one day], when Esau came from the field and was famished; and Esau said to Jacob, “Please, let me have a quick swallow of that red stuff there, because I am exhausted and famished.” For that reason Esau was [also] called Edom (Red). Jacob answered, “First sell me your birthright (the rights of a firstborn).” Esau said, “Look, I am about to die [if I do not eat soon]; so of what use is this birthright to me?” Jacob said, “Swear [an oath] to me today [that you are selling it to me for this food]”; so he swore [an oath] to him, and sold him his birthright. Then Jacob gave Esau bread and lentil stew; and he ate and drank, and got up and went on his way. In this way Esau scorned his birthright.’
Genesis 25:29-34
‘He also told them a parable: “Can a blind man guide [another] blind man? Will they not both fall into a hole in the ground? A student is not superior to his teacher; but everyone, after he has been completely trained, will be like his teacher. ‘
Luke 6:39-40
Authentic legacy requires we make and take time to be in God’s Word to prepare us and train us to be the dads God has created, planned, and purposed for us to be! God’s Word will never return void! God’s Word will help cut through the noise and the distraction and get to the core of the matter!
Let’s be the dads who choose to live with truth and love, showing integrity to our wives and kids! Let’s be the dads who are about the truth, not half-truths! Let’s be the dads who choose to live by faith rather than allowing fear to rule or manipulate us! Let’s be the dads who lean in on God rather than allowing the devil to create us to respond and react out of fear! Let’s be the dads who remember that Jesus came that we would have life and life more abundantly and that the devil comes to create fear as he desires to rob, kill, and destroy our lives! Let’s be the dads who desire to leave a legacy of hope, love, and of truth to the next generation rather than one of manipulation and trickery! Let’s be the dads who lead our wives and kids in the light of God for God’s Word is a lamp unto our feet and a light unto our path! Let’s be the dads who lead our wives and kids in the light and how to shine for we are the light of the world! Let’s be the dads who learn from Jesus and then teach our kids so that they too will be like Jesus when they grow up!
Today’s devotional has been provided to us by Regi Campbell from Radical Mentoring.
Reading through today’s devotional, here are some takeaways for me: (check out the devotional on your own too to see if you pick up other nuggets, and please share your findings in the comments)
For more information, please visit Radical Wisdom: A Daily Journey for Leaders (radicalmentoring.com).
Takeaways from Today’s Devotional:
“What Will Your Next-Generation Legacy Be?“
- What are you chasing after and what is it saying to your kids?
- What are you pursuing passionately and how will that impact your kids?
- What are your kids seeing in and through you and how will it impact them?
- Today’s devotional shares this wisdom:
- Let’s reflect on this and consider what the Bible’s examples say and share with us!
- Today’s devotional gives us examples from Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and Jesus!
- Today’s devotional shares speaks to the examples from today’s scripture as follows:
- “Abraham. Sold out. Obedient. Invented the word faith. Isaac his son? Definitely a godly man, but there was this thing with going against God’s instructions and heading down to Egypt. And then there was that time he passed off his wife as his sister, a sin his father modeled for him years before.”
- “Isaac’s kids, Jacob and Esau were godly. But what about the deception Jacob used to gain the birthright? And Esau’s impulsiveness to swap it for a bowl of stew?”
- Let’s be the dads who “must pursue God with fervor, not mediocrity“!
- Let’s be the dads who pursue God with fervor because we know that “Our kids are subconsciously deciding how important their faith will be to them by watching how important our faith is to us“!
- Let’s be the dads who pursue God with fervor on purpose, with purpose and for His purpose because we don’t want to take any chances!
- Let’s be the dads who “Go all-in” for God!
- Let’s be the dads who “make the decision to be a public, sold out, no-holes-barred, praying, tithing, loving, grace-filled follower of Jesus“!
- Let’s be the dads who decide that starting today are “fervent in our pursuit of God, letting no one call us moderate ever again“!
- Let’s be the dads who decide that we want to leave a godly legacy for our kids and grandkids!
- Today’s closes with a few questions and a link to learn more:
- “Question: Would your kids describe you as fervent in your love for Jesus?“
- “Did this plan challenge you as a father?“
- “Learn more about the full Radical Wisdom devotional.”
