Great Fathers Are Mentors

Fatherhood is an assignment that I have always revered because it goes a long way to shape the outlook to life for mankind. Many of us make decisions today spontaneously or deliberately taking reference from our father.
My dad is a wonderful man that I will always respect. I had thought while growing up that my dad is a bit soft because of the way I hear other people talk about how tough and high-handed their fathers are. This is because he allows us to take our decisions; he makes us come up with suggestions as to what we need to do. I am not saying we get away with those adolescent excesses, but his rules and conditions are clearly stated that you will always know the rewards and otherwise for any action that you take.
I realized later that my father’s approach is the best for a child that will make impact. Everybody has a mindset about issues but a reasonable suggested option will guide in the best direction. Everyone of us in my family(3boys and 3girls) were given the opportunity to decide what we want to do in life, the schools we wanted attend, the courses we wanted to read, the wives/husband we wanted to marry. My father gives us the basic guidelines and leaves us to decide. We may not have plenty money now and have exceedingly glamorous stories to tell yet, but we are on a path to a great end.
That is the way I want to relate with my sons. I want to guide them with God's eyes. I want to depend on God to give them instructions that will clearly state the accurate pattern for life. I want a situation where they will look at the way I live and the decisions I take, and be able to take cues for their life decisions. Children when forced and compelled to do things will do it for a while under your roof but may trash all those ‘commandments’ immediately they are outside your gate. We must realise that God will force no one; He will only place the option before us. Deu 30:19 I call Heaven and Earth to witness against you today: I place before you Life and Death, Blessing and Curse. Choose life so that you and your children will live.
I strongly agree that life is a product of personal adventure, but it is also a network of influence. A father should be one of the strongest influences in the life of an individual. That is when our children’s adventures in life will make meaning and impact.
As we celebrate fathers, we need to be conscious of the pattern that we set before our children. We must make the guidelines clear to them and allow them make intelligent decisions. We must trust God to lead our children aright. Many fathers are too afraid that their children will fail and become wayward that they unnecessarily become overbearing and make them rebellious in the end. Let us train them to know how to listen to God and know that we are custodians not owners.
Good fathers (whether biological or in any other respects) are mentors. Just set the model before them and let them decide.