"Which of you fathers, if your son asks for a fish, will give him a snake instead? Luke 11:11 NIV
Few people will disagree that one of the roles of fathers is to provide for his family. This is certainly not the only Biblical requirement, although some men have claimed it to be. Some men I know believe that as long as they are bringing in a descent income, they have fulfilled their fatherly role.
Still, there are others today who have simply not provided for their families. In the age of absent fathers, many single mothers are trying to fully supply the economic needs of their families. Even in the Christian community we see this taking place. Dear friends, this just shouldn’t be! A Godly father will work hard to provide for his family.
The balance here is crucial. If a man works too hard to provide for his family, they will often be neglected in the other areas of a father’s responsibility. If he provides them, for instance, with everything they want, the children will often be spoiled, unable to care for themselves.
If a man doesn’t work hard enough his family will often do without some of the things God intended to bless them with through the father. I have known situations where the mother had to work much harder than she should have to, simply because the father isn’t pulling his load to provide.
If we want to be Godly fathers, we will work to find the proper balance in providing for our homes.
