A Sunday Morning Encounter

It was a bright Sunday morning in Lagos some weeks ago. I drove past a particular junction along Idimu Road and I was stopped at a police checkpoint. They insisted the car I was driving needed a police report, since it was just purchased. We went back and forth, and they insisted we get to the police station to resolve the matter.

A Heartbreaking Revelation at the Police Station

At the gate of the police station, something disheartening happened. A man in his mid-60’s approached a police officer, telling him he wanted him to go with him to the house and arrest his son. I was dumbfounded. Your son!!! My heart was broken, what could have happened?

The Significance of Parental Guidance

Why should a man want to detain the child he is meant to nurture?

Every child born on earth comes empty and plain. overtime, they attract and become what is exposed to them at home and their environment. A child is meant to be trained in the path to take in life, and this responsibility lies in the hands of the Father with the support of the mother. If we fail to train our children, the society, our neighbors, friends in school, either good or bad will do the training for us.

Biblical Support for Parental Guidance

In Genesis 18; 19, God was vouching for Abraham that he will raise his children in the right path.

Scriptures emphasizes that ‘’we should train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it’’ Proverb 22.6 (kjv)

The Impact of Parental Example

We must not get to the point that our children cannot follow or trust our leadership as a father. We would fail God if a godly offspring cannot be guaranteed from our marriage. We must bear in mind that since our children are seeds, they will definitely multiply and replicate our good or bad deeds in the fullness of time.

If a home is peaceful, then children would learn to be peaceful, also if a home is toxic, violent and void of love, children will grow up to be much of what is a norm at home.

Our children will become what we train them to be, whether consciously or unintentionally. Our children will emulate not only what we teach them, but also what they see us do.

Understanding Parental Discord with Children

Why would a child get to a point that his father sees him as threat?

• Maybe he has seen how his father treats his mother and feels his father cannot be trusted over any matter.
• Disagreement in lifestyle and values which will always steer up a conflict.
• A child can rebel against his father or mother if both of them are not always in agreement as to how their children should be raised. This allows the child to develop hatred towards either of the parent that he or she is not in terms with.

There are countless reasons as to why this man would see his son as threat that needs police intervention.

The Essence of Successful Parenting

This is my submission, Parenting is a purpose, Fatherhood is a project that every man cannot afford to fail.

A Call for Responsibility

We must not fail in our place as a Priest over our family.

We must not fail in our place as a husband to our spouse.

We must not fail as a father to our children.

Prayer:

Lord, help me not to fail in my place as a father.