By Larry Stover

One of my favorite Old Testament characters is King David. In 1 Kings chapter 1, he gives his final instructions to Solomon before his death. He reminds him to observe the commands of God; walk in His ways; follow the requirements in the Law of Moses and he would be blessed and prosper.

One of the great pieces of fatherly advice is also given to Solomon; “Be a Man!” God’s word has much to say about it. When you think about it, half of the Book of Genesis is about Abraham. Another third of it is about Joseph. A mere 800 words are given to creation. God used the lives of Abraham and Joseph to demonstrate to all of us what it means to be a man after God’s own heart.

Hollywood and much of television make fun of the role of the dad or the husband. Men are often depicted as some brainless wonder who can’t even dress himself.

On the other hand, God created men to be complete. That included everything about us physical, emotional, mental and spiritual. He created us to love Him with every ounce of who we are. We were shaped out of His divine pattern to be holy and righteous.

Many of today’s men are gauged successful by what they possess, what they drive, and the kind of job they hold down. Individuals who live by that set of values can become quite selfish if they continually see themselves in comparison to what the rest of the neighbors possess.

God on the other hand, looks at the content of our character. He is interested in the kind of daily relationship we have with Jesus Christ. Our heavenly Father is watching how we act as a husband and a father. He is watching to see if we reflect an image of Jesus in our everyday life.

I want to close by asking the men of Dallas County some questions as we celebrate Father’s Day. Do people have confidence in your Christianity? Is your faith in Jesus Christ contagious? Can you truthfully say that you have a Christian home? Are you providing the kind of spiritual leadership that gives security to you wife and children? Do you possess the kind of spiritual integrity that makes you a man after God’s own heart?

One of the greatest needs in Dallas County is the presence of Christian dads.

We need men who will not only serve the Lord but also provide for their families and protect them while leading them in making right choices that will shape their futures after the values of our faith. That change alone would be the best Father’s Day present any of our families could receive. Besides that, being a dad after the heart of God is really “Something Beautiful.”