To the fathers of daughters #3

Now a word about daughters.

Raising daughters is a precious gift. Women are the beauty-bearers of God’s majesty. Bearing that beauty makes them vulnerable to the attacks of Satan. As a father, I am the incarnation of God the Father, the man who holds my daughter’s beauty in my hand. I am the protector of that fragile gift, and the promoter of her self-worth. If my daughter does not feel safe and cherished in my care, she will stumble in life to find her worth.

I have always tried to communicate my love to my daughters. And I have clearly stated my expectation on their life – before any other man puts an expectation on them. I have told them that this is God’s picture of a real woman: One who has…

• A loving heart
• A beautiful spirit
• A wise mind
• A pure body
• Serving hands

I remember the contrast between these two fathers of daughters: Jephthah, and Jairus.

Jephthah, one of the freedom fighters in Judges 11, goes out to battle with the Ammonites, making the foolish vow to God – “I need success, victory in my work! I’ll sacrifice anything if you will give it to me!” Upon returning from victorious battle, his daughter comes out to meet him. In a bizarre passage of scripture, he “sacrifices” his daughter to fulfill his vow. Don’t foolishly sacrifice your daughter on the altar of your ministry, your reputation, your ego, your work, your career.

Jairus, a synagogue leader in Mark 5, has a sick daughter. He could have merely carried the burden of this illness on himself, and not reached out for help. But, not caring about his reputation or role in the Jewish community, he reached out to a renegade rabbi, and begged Jesus to come heal her. I want that kind of father’s heart – I don’t care what people think, I don’t care what it costs – I’m crying out to Jesus to do a great work in my daughter’s life.

These are the lessons I am learning so far. I have no doubt God will train you to father in the way He fathers us. You are a man who has what it takes.

And so, I pray this benediction over your fathering as a minister…

May your greatest sermon be preached at your own kitchen table, your grandest ministry vision be dreamed in the privacy of your own home, your deepest burden for people be whispered in your children’s bedrooms, and your life’s legacy be “He brought his family into God’s Kingdom.”