(Copied from the Church Of God In Christ website – cogic.org)
One of the greatest joys in my life is being a godly father to my children. As I’ve matured spiritually, I’ve learned that being a good father is okay, but being a godly father is best. Fathers play such an important role in the success of children by showing them manhood; showing them how to work hard; helping to shape their aspirations; and giving them confidence. When we fail to do our job, our children are worse off for it. The signs of godly fathers missing in action are everywhere (statistics compiled by The Fatherless Generation):
- 63% of youth suicides are from fatherless homes– 5 times the average. (US Dept. Of Health/Census)
- 90% of all homeless and runaway children are from fatherless homes – 32 times the average.
- 85% of all children who show behavior disorders come from fatherless homes – 20 times the average. (Center for Disease Control)
- 80% of rapists with anger problems come from fatherless homes –14 times the average. (Justice & Behavior, Vol 14, p. 403-26)
- 71% of all high school dropouts come from fatherless homes – 9 times the average. (National Principals Association Report)
- 39% of 7,000 surveyed inmates come from fatherless homes. (2002 Department of Justice Survey)
The absence of strong men has had a profound effect on the youth of today. As troubling as these statistics are, however, all is not lost. We don’t have to look far to find the perfect blueprint of a great father – we need only look to God Himself and the blueprint found throughout His Word. If we can integrate these traits of God into our lives, we will not only be good fathers, but we will be great, godly fathers.
