Even though Father's Day weekend is past, the responsibilities are fathering are ever before us! For our church, The City Life Church, we challenged men and dads alike to use Psalm 101 as way of examining our own lives, are we living up to our potential as men for our friends and families?
In Tremper Longman III's book entitled "How To Read The Psalms" he offers seven different genres found in this great collection of Biblical songs and poems: hymns, laments, thanksgiving, confidence, remembrance, wisdom, and kingship. The final genre, kingship, is where the hundred and first Psalm is found. In fact, it is the very psalm that David wrote just prior to being inaugurated as the king of Israel. While most of us will never hold such an esteemed political title, the leadership encumbrances we bare as men and fathers are no less important! King David makes six solemn vows that we too must consider if we are going to be accomplished leaders in the realms of influence entrusted to us.
Be expressive. In the first verse, David speaks of being an outwardly, expressive lover of God. Our children should first learn to relish in the wonder of God by observing their fathers. While some of these six vows have a self-evidencing quality in relation to leadership, this one may be surprising. How does outward praise of God help us to become better leaders? The more time I spend loving on God, the greater the revelation I have of His grace towards me, and the greater the revelation I have of His grace towards me, the more gracious I will be in turn as a person of authority in the lives of others. In addition, the more my children see me loving on God, the more they are going to want to love on God themselves, and the more they love on God, the greater their revelation of the goodness of God will be, and the greater their revelation of the goodness of God, the deeper their trust will be in God, and the deeper their trust goes in God, the deeper their trust goes in me because they know I am modeling my leadership after Him!
Be authentic. This second verse begins by talking about a blameless life, to which King David quickly asks for help because he understands that this will be an impossible task without divine intervention. However, I must point out that he is not using the word blameless to speak of perfection, as he concludes this second verse by introducing the word integrity, to ensure we understand his meaning. Blameless here is speaking of an authentic life, a life void of duplicity. Unfortunately, too many children first learn how to be duplicitous by observing their fathers. Great leadership never finds its power in title, reward, or punishment. Great leadership is always based on the right to influence, a right that is earned through respect, influence that is a welcomed voice in the life of someone who values your wisdom, recognizes your life experience, and defers to your insight. A person steeped in hypocrisy is never a welcomed influence. If I cannot trust who you are, then how can I trust your leadership? Be honest about your failings, intentional in your efforts to grow as a person, and persevering in your commitment to always be authentic.
Be sexually pure. If you have children, especially sons, and you have not read "Sex, Men, and God" by Dr. Douglas Weiss, you are missing vital information that is critical to one of your most sacred responsibilities...teaching your children about their sexuality. If we fail in giving our children a Godly, healthy sexual identity, we doom them to a life of experimentation and sexual frustration. I joke with our church all the time that in the Garden of Eden, let's not forget that when the world was still perfect, Adam and Eve were naked! Yes, God is ancient, but that simply means He is timeless, not old and out dated and certainly not prudish. Sex is His idea, His creation. Whatever perversions exist in this world, they are a mere a shadow of the sexual pleasure waiting for people who are willing to give themselves fully to a Biblical view of sexual identity. One of my famous sayings as a pastor among our married couples is that Christian husband and wives should be breaking the pleasure barrier! Whatever restrictions God gives us, they are always to protect us form settling for less! So what does this have to do with leadership? I cannot lead where I have not been. And if I am not sexually pure, I will continually fail to lead my children into a life of sexual purity, a great failing for far too many fathers. In regards to leadership in general, inappropriate sexual behavior will always lead to diminishing respect. If a person does not have the self-control to respect vows they have made in their personal life, like marriage, then why should I trust that they will have the self-control to keep vows they have made in their public life?
We'll do the next three tomorrow!
Pastor Fred
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