Just For Dads: Be A Positive Christian Role Model – Day 3

I found a devotional that was a bit longer and that sounded powerful as a message so that it could help us learn and become the dads God created and purposed for us to be. So I chose “Just For Dads: Be A Positive Christian Role Model” because, over 21 days, we will get to read and learn about how to be a positive Christian role model for our family! Over 21 days, we will get to learn about topics like: “self-discipline, love, patience, and much more“! This devotional will not only help us be the dads but it will also help us “in our day-to-day life to show our children what it truly means to be a role model and follower of Christ in every sense“.

Let’s check out our scriptures for today’s devotional:

• 2 Kings 22:3-7

‘In the eighteenth year of his reign, King Josiah sent the secretary, Shaphan son of Azaliah, the son of Meshullam, to the temple of the Lord. He said: “Go up to Hilkiah the high priest and have him get ready the money that has been brought into the temple of the Lord, which the doorkeepers have collected from the people. Have them entrust it to the men appointed to supervise the work on the temple. And have these men pay the workers who repair the temple of the Lord — the carpenters, the builders, and the masons. Also, have them purchase timber and dressed stone to repair the temple. But they need not account for the money entrusted to them, because they are honest in their dealings.” ‘

2 Kings 22:3-7

Ever seen a scripture that caused you to dig into God’s Word more? Ever discovered how it speaks to you? Ever discovered how alive God’s Word is?

Let’s be the dads who are good stewards of what God has given us! Let’s be the dads who take the assets we have been given and use them for the kingdom of God! Let’s be the dads who can account for the resources God has entrusted to us! Let’s be the dads who are honest in our dealings! Let’s be the dads who are good role models for the glory of God!

Today’s devotional has been provided by Zondervan!

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 Just For Dads: Be A Positive Christian Role Model | Devotional Reading Plan | YouVersion Bible for more details.

Takeaways from Today’s Devotional:

“Could I please have a receipt on that?”

• Let’s be the dads who keep track of what’s going on so that when we are called to an account we are ready and able to report back!
• Let’s be the dads who are good stewards of the resources given to us by God! (which is everything because every good and perfect gift comes from God)
• Let’s be the dads who understand what accountability means!
• Let’s be the dads who understand what you need to show accountability!
• Let’s be the dads with good character who don’t try to abuse the system!
• Let’s be the dads who live our lives for an audience of one (God)!
• Let’s be the dads who live with character and integrity even when nobody else is watching!
• Today’s devotional put it this way: “You are who you are when no one’s checking up on you.“
• Let’s be the dads who set the standards high as King Josiah did by “acting faithfully.”
• Today’s devotional calls out the king’s conversation this way:
  • “Josiah the king had given his secretary Shaphan an assignment. The king had asked him to tell the high priest to take the donations that had been made at the temple and give them to the construction supervisors for parceling out to the workers. Then Josiah adds an interesting postscript. He tells Shaphan that the supervisors do not need to fill out expense reports. Josiah reminds his secretary that the supervisors don’t need to account for the money because they are “acting faithfully.”“
• Today’s devotional calls out a key thing we need to hold onto:
  • “the remarkable trust that King Josiah placed in his supervisors“
• Let’s be the dads who are above reproach!
• Let’s be the dads who can be counted on and trusted!
• Let’s be the dads whose bosses and leaders know they can trust us with whatever it is that they give us or give us to do!
• Today’s devotional brings up an interesting concept of how the priest might have gone about giving and expressing the king’s wishes to the supervisors:
  • ” I wonder how the high priest told them that Josiah was not requiring any receipts for their expenditures. I wonder if any of these men were tempted to slip a few shekels in their waistbands when they discovered that they weren’t going to be audited. I imagine that he simply said to these managers, “Spend the money carefully but don’t be concerned with keeping records. Our king trusts you, even when no one is checking up on you.”“
• Let’s be the dads who are motivated because we know God trusts us to be the dads He created, purposed, and planned for us to be!
• Let’s be the dads who are motivated when our bosses or leaders express their trust in us and live up to it!
• Today’s devotional asks a question for us to ponder and see how we can receive it and apply it in our own lives:
  • “Can you imagine how motivating this would have been to these supervisors? “Wow, the king trusts us with this money,” they may have said to each other. “How could we do anything but be trustworthy?”“
• Let’s be the dads who motivate our kids in a positive, encouraging, and uplifting way!
• Let’s be the dads who motivate our kids thru trust rather than a threat!
• Let’s be the dads who motivate others thru trust rather than fear!
• Let’s be the dads who motivate others to do what is right, even when we aren’t around!
• Let’s be the dads who motivate things in God’s way!
• Today’s devotional speaks to the topic this way:
  • “There are lots of different ways to motivate your children to do the right thing when you’re not around. You can read them a list of consequences if they mess up. You can sit them down and interrogate them when they come home. Or you can tell them that you trust them to be honest, trustworthy and faithful.“
• Today’s devotional closes with a question for us:
  • “Which of these options do you suppose will get you the best results? I do, too.“