Ephesians 6:4
Fathers, Provoke Not

From fathers come the joys, privileges and responsibility of lives yet to come to completion:
Life-blood flows from one life to another – across the generations unseen and real.
Look-alike eyes, features, skin tones, facial shapes, body language –
All join together to form a new personality, a new entity, a new person made in the image of God to be entrusted into the hands, heart and care of a father.

This new person originated in the mind and power of God who chose the ways and means of passing on what He knows is best, to those He entrusts with His heritage – children.
But who is to care, comfort, protect and instruct those who come from God? – fathers.
They are those who have learned from those before them, good or bad – they have learned.

Pressures applied: physical, emotional, spiritual, intellectual, familial, cultural – all used.
Used to mold, direct, encourage, challenge, reveal, instill, unfold – things that are up to now unseen. Then comes the problem – how to do this great work in a proper way for all concerned. What is at the disposal of a father to produce in the lives of his children what God intends?

Sarcasm, antagonism, scorn are never acceptable tools to use to direct another person into the way of life eternal. Expectations expressed clearly, reasonable demands, parameters that are precise enough to know are ways to direct a young person’s mind and actions. Consistency in practice, discipline, modeling has influence that goes far beyond mere words. A child could be provoked when demands are made on them that we have never made on ourselves. Provocation comes when directions are given loudly, forcefully, unkindly, impatiently. None of these will produce the desired results and has the tendency to provoke others to anger.