Children learn by example, and this is why it is very important for fathers to bestow the right "gifts" to their sons, so that they would grow up to become outstanding members of society, devout Christians, and amazing husbands and fathers.
In an article published in the Church website, Dave Willis said fatherhood is the best job in the world despite all of the hardships entailed.
"[Sons] bring me joy each new day, and raising them is one of the most sacred duties that could ever be entrusted to me," he said. "Because I love them, I want what's best for them, but I'm also painfully aware of my own flaws and inadequacies. I desperately want to get fatherhood right, but we live in a world with so much temptation and chaos that it's hard to know where to start."
Thankfully, said Willis, God already provided people with a "roadmap" to follow on how to raise good Christian sons. There are actually five "gifts" that fathers should give their sons.
The first of these gifts is a life worth imitating.
"Make sure your words line up with your actions, and choose to live a life of integrity," he said. "Your boys will base their ideas of manhood on your example. Eliminate any habits from your life you wouldn't want your boys to have someday."
The second gift should be love for their mom. It makes children feel secure to see their father love and protect their mom. Plus, how husbands treat their wives will be the same model sons will use to treat their own wives in the future.
The third gift would be discipline. Discipline, according to Willis, is more than just punishment, since it is all about order, structure, and positive affirmation.
The fourth gift is unconditional love for their children. "There are a lot of messed-up adults in the world who have 'Daddy issues' because they were raised in an environment where their father's love was either absent entirely or was conditional, based upon performance," said Willis. "The only perfect Father is God, who models unconditional love for us and then calls us to do the same for our kids (as best we can, of course)."
Lastly, fathers should show their kids how much they love God and value His instructions. Willis said this should actually be the first thing in the list, since the more people love God, the more capacity He will give for fathers to love their families.
"We're not perfect, but God is, and He'll be by your side every step of the way! When you blow it, own it. Apologise and move forward. On those days when you feel like you're not getting through, remember that the process is slow, but the impact you're having will endure for generations to come. Keep creating new memories, praying, striving, encouraging, disciplining, enjoying, and loving those kids and remember that each moment with them is a gift!" he said.
