A Good Shepherd


“I AM the Good Shepherd,” said Jesus.

I was reading this passage from John’s Gospel, Chapter 10 recently, when an online magazine to which I subscribe arrived. The magazine, Kairos Journal, had an article entitled, “Fathers are Shepherds.” I use some (okay, a lot) of this material to pass on what may be helpful information for you. “Kairos” by the way, is a Greek word for “the times.” In other words, it is a magazine with articles written for our times – Christian commentary on current events.

Ephesians 6:4 states, “Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.”

There are two statements of wisdom contained in this verse. The first is negative, the second is positive. The first is, “do not provoke your children to anger.” Children may be small and immature, but they are made in the image of God. They possess this image from conception. A father should not bully, mock or dismiss a young child. Such behavior certainly does provoke a child to anger. It also dishonors God, who has given this child life. The positive statement is, “bring them up in the discipline (or nurture, loving concern) and instruction of the Lord.” The best way to accomplish this daunting task is to teach your children the scripture. Fathers are to be men of the Word, men of scripture. They are constantly to be pointing their children to the Bible. A wise earthly father uses the Lord Jesus Christ as his model. Jesus always pointed people to God the Father and His Word.

I cannot think of any father who does not want to be loved and respected by his children. It is not that the father should want to hear his praises sung by the kids. He should want to hear God’s praises sung.
No father can coerce his child into the Kingdom. But a father can model Christ’s love and spirit by not provoking his child to anger. A father can expose his child to God’s Word. And a father can bring up his child in “the discipline and instruction of the Lord.”

In my own experience, there was one thing I did as a Dad that really helped. Our three children were young then, and one day, just thinking it might be a good idea for discussions around the dinner table, I made a copy of the Ten Commandments and displayed it on the refrigerator. The two older children had started school and could read. They began reading these commandments and asking questions. It provided many positive discussions about God, ethics and morality. I recommend this to anyone who is a parent. If it works for you as well as it did for me, you will be well on your way to shepherding your child in the love (discipline) and ways (instruction) of God.

Every Christian father is a shepherd. Let’s try to be …

A good shepherd.