Everywhere I Go: Learning to See JesusSample

IS THERE A FATHER IN THE HOUSE? Fatherhood is a relationship - so a man who is uninvolved in the lives of his children and unaware of their struggles, dreams, and desires, is not really a father. Unfortunately, our society tends to applaud the successful man more than the family manﾗ but the truth is, if you are genuinely a family man, you are a successful man. Frederick Flick was a West German industrialist worth more than $1.5 billion. Prior to his death he controlled some 300 companies and interests. A profile of this powerful businessman in a national magazine said that he had made all the right moves when it came to accumulating wealth. But every one of his children was a failure. Peter Drucker might have called Flick a success, but according to biblical standards, he was a dismal failure. Why? Because he neglected to give his children what they needed from a father: love and leadership. When Flick's wife died, he buried her at 3:00 p.m., went back to the office at 5:00, and never broke stride. As a pastor, I talk with so many parents who want the church to instill values in their children, and to educate them concerning life. The church can certainly help in these areas, but no church, school, or summer camp can be expected to rear children and successfully guide them through the maze of childhood and adolescence. There is absolutely no substitute for a parent's time and touch in the life of a child.