The Right Pursuit

April, 2005

by: Brock Bolde

Over the past five months, we have looked at how you and I as parents are to G.U.I.D.E. our children in this life. I hope that these articles have stimulated within you a desire to effectively accomplish this task for the glory of God because we live in a day and age in which the family has fallen on hard times. As Christians, we have an enormous opportunity to be salt and light in our world through our families. But it is my fear that the battle for influence is not being won by our families. If anything, we are in grave danger of succumbing to the lures and temptations of the society around us. Too many of us are pursuing that which is temporal instead of that which is eternal. Too many of us, when forced to choose between the things of God and the things of this world choose the latter. But why is this so – who is to blame. There are many factors and forces at work, but Scripture clearly teaches us that the man is to lead his family – and too many men are failing miserably at this enormous responsibility.

I have been in full-time ministry for nearly eight years now. I have seen a lot of families in a lot of situations and, for the most part, I can usually tell how active a father is in the training up of his children by watching his children. As the leader of the family, the father is the one who sets the pace; he is the one who is called to guide the ship to make sure that it reaches its proper destination. In saying this, I am by no means downplaying the role of the mother, I am simply stating that it is the man’s responsibility to lead his family (Genesis 3:16; Ephesians 5:23, 6:4; 1 Timothy 3:4-5). With that said, too many men are dropping the ball. Too many men have resigned themselves to simply being the bread-winner. When it comes to being involved in the lives of their children, they are simply too busy “providing” for their families. As men, we do need to provide for our families, we are not called to be “Mr. Moms!” But let me ask you this – how much is enough? How much do you really need to provide? If the truth be told, far too many of you are financing a lifestyle that goes far beyond provision. Too many of you are sacrificing your children on the altar of provision so as to satisfy your own worldly desires. And while there’s nothing wrong with having money, there is definitely something wrong with working so much for it that you never have time to spend building into your family. When’s the last time that you heard of someone turning down a promotion so that he could spend more time with his family? Too many men take every opportunity that comes their way when it comes to having more money without considering the real cost of that “opportunity!” Too many men fail to compare the verses that are found in the 23^rd Proverb concerning real gladness. In verses 4 and 5, we are told: “⁴Do not weary yourself to gain wealth, Cease from your consideration of it. ⁵When you set your eyes on it, it is gone. For wealth certainly makes itself wings Like an eagle that flies toward the heavens.” Whereas, in verses 24 and 25, it says:“²⁴The father of the righteous will greatly rejoice, And he who sires a wise son will be glad in him. ²⁵Let your father and your mother be glad, And let her rejoice who gave birth to you.”

Men, what are you investing your lives into? Are you pursuing that which will sprout wings and fly away or are you training up righteous children who will bring you true joy? Is your family salt and light in this world or is nobody able to tell the difference? May God give each of us the strength and conviction to pursue that which will carry on into eternity; may He help us to effectively G.U.I.D.E. our children through the toils and snares of this fallen world.