Pharaohs and Fathers
Many of us our looking for people in our lives that can be fatherly role models in our relationship with God. It doesn't take long to read about the relationship Paul had with Timothy to crave a relationship like this.
Not only do many crave this type of relationship, our goal as believers should be to grow into "spiritual" parenthood ~ A place where we pour our hearts and lives into others to bring them to maturity.
I recently read a book by David Ravenhill (The son of Leonard Ravenhill) called "Surviving the Anointing" and want to share with you the heart of a father.
When you read Paul's letters to Timothy in the Bible you see a man who wanted to be there for, encourage, and who believed in his son. He wasn't self seeking nor authoritarian in his approach. What a generation we will see if we can get a hold of this and become Paul's to the Timothy's in our lives.
"Hardly a month goes by that I don't receive a call or e-mail from someone wanting to be 'heard.' They are looking for a father, someone who will take the time to listen to them and give them some fatherly advice or encouragement. One young man came to see me recently and shared how he and his wife felt called to a major city on the East Coast. This young man had a very large youth group. He was so successful that other youth pastors came to him to learn all they could from him. When he approached his pastor and shared his burden, his pastor told him he would make the "call" as he was "the pastor." Needless to say, the pastor did not want to lose this gifted young couple and so chose to use the authority card to control them. He eventually released them but told them he would never have anything to do with them – from that moment on they were on their own.
How tragic I call that type of leader a Pharaoh not a father. I'm grateful to God that he allowed me to be raised by spiritual fathers – men who never wielded the authority card at me but who sought to influence me through example, persuasion, and prayer. One of my spiritual fathers would say to me if someone decided to leave the church, "I'm not sure they are making the right decision, but I want to bless them regardless; that way they will always feel welcome to come back if things don't work out."
I can hear some of you saying to yourself, "This guy doesn't believe in 'covering.' Yes I do, but I believe there is a vast difference between being a Pharaoh and a father. Here is the difference.
Pharaohs have slaves Fathers have sons
Pharaohs command Fathers counsel
Pharaohs dominate Fathers liberate
Pharaohs dictate Fathers communicate
Pharaohs destroy and demean Fathers discipline
Pharaohs remove Fathers restore
Pharaohs restrain Fathers release
Pharaohs manipulate Fathers motivate
Pharaohs emasculate Fathers propagate
Pharaohs whip Fathers weep
Pharaohs want results Fathers want relationship
Pharaohs build great cities Fathers build great sons
Pharaohs are hardhearted Fathers are tenderhearted
Pharaohs fear success Fathers foster success
Pharaohs want servants Fathers are servants
Pharaohs prey on slaves Fathers pray for sons
Slaves die for pharaohs Fathers die for sons
Slaves work out of fear Sons work out of faith
Slaves work out of duty Sons work out of devotion
Slaves remain slaves Sons develop into fathers
Slaves loathe pharaohs Sons love fathers
Slaves are discouraged Sons are encouraged
Slaves receive reproof Sons receive approval
Slaves grow to hate and hurt Sons grow to heal and help
Slaves have numbers Sons have names
Slaves celebrate a Pharaohs death Sons commiserate father's death
Slaves escape Sons return
Slaves sigh Sons sing
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