8 But if anyone does not provide for his relatives, and especially for members of his household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever. ~ 1 Timothy 5:8
One of my favorite childhood cartoons was “Code Name: Kids Next Door.” Throughout the show, a group of kids who are a part of a greater operation battle adult tyranny. The villains were all teenagers or adults who tried to harm children in one way or another. The Boss who kept parents at longer hours so they couldn’t go home to their kids. The scary cat lady down the street, whose cats are vicious like her. The grandma who tries to make you eat gross food like liver, mystery meat, etc. The spanking vampire, who spanks all naughty Children who break the rules. But the scariest villain of all was Father. I never really thought much of it as a kid, just that he was scary, but the other day, while watching the movie, it made sense.
Father was the scariest villain, not because all dads in the show are evil; in fact, all the dads in the show are loving and caring for their children. I believe Father was the scariest villain because if your Own father is against you, you truly have no safe place. It’s one thing to be afraid of Strangers, it’s another thing to be afraid of your own father, or for him to be against you. See, the Boss had children, and even he was a good dad to them, but Father was another story.
As a kid, it doesn’t matter who’s against you. It only matters if your parents are for you. If you’re scared, it’s Dad you go to to protect you, to defend you, to keep you safe. If your Dad is against you, then you no longer have a safe place.
Fathers, you have an obligation to your children to be their safe place. A place they can go to when they’re scared, nervous, or unsure. So many people struggle with the love of God because of their relationship with their fathers. You are a representation of our relationship with God, so don’t take your role lightly.
Peace. Love. Go Forth and Be Their Safe Space.