Leading by Example

My dad has always been my hero.

Some of my earliest memories are of trying to walk in his shoes—literally. As a kid, there was nothing more fun than sliding my feet into his oversized shoes and clunking around the house, feeling like I was stepping into greatness.

Now that I have four kids of my own, I’m on the receiving end of that kind of admiration. And honestly? It scares me.
There’s a weight that comes with knowing your children are watching your every move.

The phrase “more is caught than taught” never hit home quite like it did when I began to see my own words and mannerisms reflected back to me—especially in my two-year-old son.
We live on a farm, and his days are filled with barn animals, toy tractors, and wide-open space. If Dad is wearing a cowboy hat, he has to wear his. If I’m driving the tractor, he’s climbing aboard. If I’m in the barn, he’s right there beside me.

That reality makes the words in Deuteronomy all the more powerful.
While I love teaching him the things that will shape him into a man, Scripture reminds me that my greatest responsibility is to continually point him to the Lord.

For a long time, I thought that simply taking my family to church checked that box. And while that absolutely matters, the flaw in that thinking was assuming I could outsource their spiritual growth to someone who sees them maybe two hours a week.

As I reflected on these verses, it became clear: God placed that responsibility squarely on my shoulders.

And it’s not just a Sunday morning thing. It’s an everyday, all-the-time mission.
That shift in mindset helped me become more intentional—teaching them God’s Word through guided devotionals, prayer journals, and reading Scripture together after dinner.

But this passage pushes us even further. It calls us to diligently teach and model God’s ways in every moment—when we sit, walk, lie down, and get up. That means when I hit my thumb with a hammer or when the day completely unravels, they’re watching to see how Dad responds.

It’s like teaching them a lesson on self-control and then blowing up over something minor. That’s the spiritual equivalent of telling them to eat their vegetables while I’m stuffing my face with a Hershey’s bar. It doesn’t land well—and rightly so.

Even if you don’t feel equipped, even if you’re afraid of messing it up—He is with you every step of the way.
Your effort matters.
Your presence matters.
And every time you point your children toward Him—no matter how imperfectly—you are planting seeds that will bear fruit for the Kingdom.

Give yourself grace.
Lean into the responsibility.
And embrace the incredible, sacred adventure of fatherhood.

Reflection Questions:

1. What are your kids learning by watching your daily habits?
2. How do you respond when life doesn’t go as planned?