Have you ever noticed that on Mother's Day we tell mothers how great they are and on Father's Day we tell fathers what they need to do to be great fathers. It's almost as if a mother automatically becomes great while a father must continually work at it!

Bill Cosby tells a story that I like about the difference between Mother's Day and Father's Day.  he insists that Mother's Day is a much bigger deal because mothers are more organized. Mothers say to their children: Now her is a list of what I want. Go get the money from your father and you suprise me on Mother's Day.

What is a father? What makes him tick? Is he some kind of Superhero, who is this mystery person? It's a question that mankind has struggled to answer since the creation of the universe.

Some say he is a fellow who has been seen replacing the currency in his wallet with snapshots of his family. Many claim he can be seen rushing out in the morning, off to the arena that is sometimes called the office, where he slays a dragon with three heads: weariness, work and monotony. Others say they have seen him laugh when he's scared and growl when he feels good. Some even insist he can only be seen at night when he's putting out the garbage. However, more often, by most of us he is simply seen as dad!

A father is charged with providing for the family. Paul says that if a man will not provide for his own he has denied the faith and is worse than an infidel. He told the Thessalonians that if a man would not work, neither should he eat. It is the responsibility of the father to provide food and shelter for his family.

When sin entered into life it meant that man had to earn his living by the sweat of his brow. This effectively turned work into a JOB instead of a JOY. But God gave us a way to turn our labour into Joy again - actually two ways:

1.  The privilege of providing for a family - This satisfies a deep inner need of a father and makes him feel complete.
2.  The New Birth - It is the presence of Christ in a father's heart that changes work from wearisome into wonderful.

Come unto Me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of Me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and My burden is light. Matt 11:28-30

Over the last few weeks our daughter and 2 grandchildren have been staying with us and as a result, some of our mornings have changed a little from our usual routine.  Like waking up to find a small person in our bed! I must confess mornings for me are not my finest hour as I am usually only half awake until I get my first coffee. And so it was on this particular morning, as I was staggering around, doing my best to get ready for work, not made any easier by the fact that everybody else was still in bed. I'm almost ready and I'm moving towards the back door where my routine is to slip on my shoes and go out to the car. I've got my coat on, got my bag; car keys are in my hand. I'm running through my mental checklist that is so important to do when you are only half awake. I step into my shoes and a stabbing pain shoots up through my feet and into my legs. I have never experienced the pain of childbirth but this had to be close! However, being a man, I was able to grit my teeth and slip off my shoes only to find that my grandson had put two Superhero toys into my shoes.  It was his way of saying "good morning grandpa". I have to tell you, once the pain subsided; it made this Superhero dad and grandpa feel good just knowing that someone very special was thinking about him. My armour was gleaming for the rest of the day!

Men live in a rough and tumble work today. In today's world should we be looking for a father to be a "Macho man" or a "Meek Man"? Maybe we don't really understand what it means to be Meek?  Let's see what the Bible really means about "Meek Men".

Meekness Is Used To Describe Jesus:
Take my yoke upon you, and learn of Me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls (Mat 11:29).Jesus was strong enough in character to defeat Sin and Satan; yet gentle enough to offer shelter to the needy

Meekness Describes a Great Leader:
Now the man Moses was very meek, above all the men which were upon the face of the earth (Num 12:3). A great Leader is one who Leads; not drives! A good father is one who is remembered for the strength of his example; not the strength of his arm.

Meekness Show A Man Is At Peace:
In returning and rest shall ye be saved; in quietness and in confidence shall be your strength: (Isa 30:15). You don't have to prove yourself to everyone else.

Meekness Obtains God's Leadership:
The meek will He guide in judgment: and the meek will He teach His way (Psa 25:9). A good father knows enough to know he doesn't know it all! In meekness he waits upon the Lord for the guidance he needs to lead his family.

Meekness Means You'll Be The Ultimate Winner:
Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth (Mat 5:5).  The LORD lifteth up the meek: He casteth the wicked down to the ground. (Psa 147:6)

A father has the potential to be a powerful force in the life of a child. Go for it! Maybe you'll get a greeting card or 2 Superhero toys for your efforts - or maybe not. But it's steady work.