RESEARCH SHOWS THAT children will imitate the actions of the adults in their home. This influences not only their conduct but also the way they understand and relate to the world.
My dad wasn’t a perfect dad, but he was a really good one. When I was growing up, I loved holding his hand wherever we went because it made me feel so safe. He taught me about sports and prepared me to be a boy mom to my two sons later. Though he taught me a lot with his words, I also learned so much from his actions.
I truly believe that the best dads teach not only with their words, but also with their actions. You see, it is very easy to say the right thing, but it takes a lot of determination and morals to actually do the right thing. I believe the greatest fathers live out what they say.
Anyone who knows my dad knows that one of his favorite sayings is “the natural and the supernatural coming together makes the explosive force for God.” He taught me both naturally and supernaturally by walking out the scriptures (see James 1:22). And the most important life lesson he taught me was this: to follow my Heavenly Father wherever He leads me (see Rom. 8:14).
If I could trust my earthly father when things got tough, I could trust my Heavenly Father the same way.
I remember being six, seven, and eight years old, traveling constantly with our family by airplane. Many times, we had really tight connections at airports like Dallas-Fort Worth or Chicago O’Hare International. We would literally have to run to make our connection.
As we were running, my dad would look at me and say, “Denise, listen to me. You stay right behind me. You follow me through this crowd, and as long as you’re right behind me and you can see me, you’re going to be okay. We’re going to get there, and we’re going to make it.” I’d say, “Okay, Daddy.”
I would be running as fast as I could, and he would keep looking back at me. If I got too far behind him, he’d say, “Denise, come on. Catch up. You have to stay right behind me. That’s where you’re safe!” So, I learned how to follow him.
As a family, we used to ride three- and four-wheelers. We went to this place in Oklahoma called Little Sahara State Park. It has huge, mountainous desert sand dunes that go straight up. I always rode right behind my dad because he wanted to make sure I was safe. He would always say, “Hey, stay right behind me. Whatever I do, wherever I go, you do the same thing. When we make a sharp turn, if I lean one way, you lean that way too. You follow me.”
I remember following my dad one time when he started going straight up this sand dune. I stopped. He turned around and looked at me. I shook my head and said, “No. I’m not doing that. It’s too scary.”
He came down to where I was and said, “Come on, baby. You can do it.”
I replied, “Dad, I can’t. It’s too steep. I’m going to fall over.”
He said, “No, you’re not.” To lessen my fear, he rode up to the top again and came back down.
I still said, “Nope, not doing it.”
“Come on,” he urged. “I promise you nothing’s going to happen as long as you stay right behind me. I promise you’ll get to the top. Trust me.”
So, I said, “Okay, Dad. I will.” Even though I was so scared, I rode as fast as I could. I got to the top, and we celebrated.
Dad taught me how to follow him even when it looked way too scary. If I got a little behind, he’d stop and wait for me, cheering me on all the time. And the reason it is so significant is that it taught me this: If I could trust my earthly father and believe that he wouldn’t let anything happen to me, and that he could see ahead when things got tough, I could trust my Heavenly Father the same way (see Psalm 56:3).
Dad taught me that when things get difficult, I can trust my Heavenly Father because He has my best interests in mind. He’s not going to let anything happen to me because my Heavenly Father cares way more about me than my earthly father does.
When we follow our Heavenly Father, we know we’ll be successful in life. John 10:27 says, “My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me” (NLT). In life, we have to follow Him even when it’s scary, and even when we can’t see the future.
When I was 23, an event shattered my entire world. There were days when I woke up and wished I weren’t even alive. I was absolutely broken and didn’t know how I was going to get past it.
My dad sat down with me and said, “I want to bring you to Jeremiah 29:11.” It says, “‘For I know the plans I have for you,’ declares the Lord, ‘plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future’” (NIV).
Dad reminded me that when I used to follow him at Little Sahara, even when it got scary and I didn’t want to, I followed anyway. He said, “If you’ll just trust your Heavenly Father as you trusted me, I promise you, He’ll take you to the other side.” And He did.
So, fathers, I want to ask you, what are your actions teaching your children? Only you can answer that. If you haven’t been doing your best, you can change at any time. It just takes one decision. If you have been doing a great job in that area, I encourage you to keep modeling for your children what their Heavenly Father truly looks like.
Denise Hagin Burns
Author
Denise Hagin Burns
Share this Post