I recently have been part of an incredible parenting class with our church. This week we learned that daughters have an innate need for security and sons, like men, have a need to be honored. I asked God, “How did you honor your son, Jesus?” I encouraged those we mobilize in missional living to choose a character trait of God to explore more this year. I chose God’s character trait of a father and asked God to show me His Father characteristics. He answered my prayer and showed me in His Word three impacting ways God the Father honored His Son Jesus:
1 The Father lets His Son know He is pleased with him.
Notice that God did not tell His Son why He is pleased with Him, nor did The Father share what actions Jesus did to please him. Jesus’ Dad simply was pleased with Him because of who He is, His identity, being His Son:
“And a voice came from heaven: ‘You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased.’” – Mark 1:11
2 The Father gives His Son away for a God-given purpose.
God did not smother nor was He over-protective of His Son, Jesus. In fact, the Father honored His son by giving Him away! Not just for any reason but for His God-given purpose, to redeem humans back to Himself:
“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.” – John 3:16
3 The Father lets His Son be involved in what He is doing.
[tweetable author=”@toddlollar”] We’ve all heard of the dad who makes himself too busy to be with son. And if his son tries to be involved with what his hero, his dad is doing, the dad shrugs and tells his son to get out of the way. But God, the Heavenly Father, never did this to his son but quite the opposite. [/tweetable] Because the Heavenly Father loved and honored Jesus, He let Jesus be involved in what the Father was doing:
“Very truly I tell you, the Son can do nothing by himself; he can do only what he sees his Father doing, because whatever the Father does the Son also does.” – John 5:19
What a Heavenly Dad! This spurs me on to honor my son, Oliver! I’m going to continually let Oliver know I am please with “who” he is. I’m not going to suffocate his destiny but release Him in His God-given purpose. Oliver is my second ministry under my marriage. I will strive to never do anything to make Oliver feel like he is in my way, rather I will welcome him to be part of my calling in life.What other ways may we show boys honor? Feel free to carry on the conversation.
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