An honorable salute to the fathers reading this nugget. Not many of the males reading it can accept the greeting with heads held high.
To understand what I’m saying, you’d probably have to know what it takes to be a father.
Of course I, by no means, can speak expertly on the subject. For one, I’m a woman, raised by a single mother, but I do have a book that helps me to understand and define the father in a man.
Somehow, I think the world has the definition for a ‘father’ and a ‘daddy’ all wrong.
If you did a search on search engines and in dictionaries, you’d probably be told that a father provides food, clothing, and shelter for their child. On the other hand, a dad or daddy goes beyond the basic physical needs. Instead, a dad tends to his child’s emotional and social needs as well.
My definition for both is the other way around. I’ve never seen the title ‘daddy’ or ‘dad’ in the Bible, but the word ‘father’ appears 979 times in the King James Version. Having read a few of them, I stand in opposition to the world’s definition for who a father is.
If you’re not controlled by the Love and Fear of God, which help you to guide your child’s feet, you’re not a father, you’re just “daddy”.
Maybe you’ve taught your child how to be obedient to his parents, but if he was never taught to obey his Heavenly Father, you’re not a father, you’re just “daddy”.
If you spend more time working to feed your child, and never spent time eating with him, and giving him spiritual food via devotions and family time, then you’re not a father, you’re just “daddy”.
If you’ve only seen your child play and not pray, you’re not a father, you’re just “daddy”.
If you have not enforced, in your child, the sterner virtues—energy, integrity, honesty, patience, courage, diligence, and practical usefulness, then you’re not a father, you’re just “daddy”.
If you require good behavior from your child, yet you don’t practice and model the desired behavior to him, then you’re not a father, you’re just “daddy”.
A father, as the Bible defines, delights in, loves, corrects, instructs, disciplines, provides for, leads and contributes a legacy to his children. It is for any one or all of these attributes that I honor our fathers.
Daddy is a noun, title; father is a verb-action.
It is no wonder Jesus offers himself to be our “father”.
“And I will be a father to you, and you shall be sons and daughters to me, says the Lord Almighty.” 2 Corinthians 6:18
“As a father has compassion on his children, so the Lord has compassion on those who fear him. Psalm 103:13
Happy Father’s Day.
Merry Melodious Melody
Spot on.
Yes – father Ainsworth.
I never thought of it that way. I called my dad “daddy”, and he sure wasn’t who the search engine said a dad is. It was only in title.
Goes to show that daddy is only a label… thanks for your feedback Nadine.
Good day, it is surprising how the world affects your thinking. I usually follow the world’s thinking of daddy vs father. All the things you ascribe to father I ascribe to daddy.
Good morning and happy Wednesday! I was a little hesitant to comment on this reading. However; as I lay my head down to sleep, I put my mind swirl back. I thought about the man who helped my mother to bring me in this world. Was he a daddy or a father? After I finish with my walk down through memory lane , I concluded that my father was a real father. He didn’t have money to give me, but he gave me Jesus. Giving me Jesus is the best thing ever! He also provides,correct,instructs and when it comes to discipline….boy I tell you! I hated him in my early years, but loved him in the latter.Hats off to all the great fathers out there😀
I’m glad you decided to respond. I’m even happier learning that you had a father. Hats off to him because he gave you the best gift a father could give- Jesus…