Fathers, do not exasperate your children; instead, bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord  (Ephesians 6:4).

I teach middle school.

You’re welcome.

In the era of COVID, I’ve been in a lot of how-do-we-get-back-to-school teacher meetings, and one of the major areas of focus has been how to build relationships even though we’re teaching from a distance. The big idea is that kids learn better if they have a positive relationship with their teacher.  I have some questions about the validity of this in a classroom setting–even a traditional one. I learned plenty in school, and don’t recall many significant teacher relationships. For that matter, my wife aced her AP test and refers to her teacher as a slave driver.

Be that as it may, I have no doubt that this idea is spot on when it comes to the home. Fathers, our job is to bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord. The stuff we’re teaching goes way beyond number sense and punctuation. We’re teaching life, and life eternal. That takes a relationship that is honest and deep and close and open to vulnerability. Hence the do not exasperate your children part of this verse. A frustrated, isolated, embittered child is not gonna be open to Life Lessons with Daddy.

Basically, if they are going to learn from you, they have to believe you.

So be someone they can believe.

Happy Friday, Beloved.