Next Sunday is Father’s Day when we honor fathers, stepfathers, grandfathers, great grandfathers and maybe men who have been like a father to us. I’ve observed that sometimes we make more of a celebration on Mother’s Day than Father’s Day. Does that happen in your family?
Sadly, many families are fatherless and Father’s Day can be a painful time. More than 20 million children live in a home without the physical presence of a father. Millions more have dads who are physically present, but emotionally absent. It’s been said that if classified as a disease, fatherlessness would be an epidemic worthy of attention as a national emergency.
My father was a California Highway Patrolman killed with his own gun when I was ten. My mother never remarried, so Father’s Day was always tough for me growing up. But I divorced when my own daughter was only two-years-old and I didn’t remarry until she was nineteen and headed for college. So both of us were raised in single parent households without a father. We were one of the statistics.
God’s Plan for Fathers in Families
Spiritual and Emotional Purpose
Fathers are created and commanded to share God’s love with their children, offering care, guidance, and protection from harm while helping children navigate life’s choices and challenges. They serve as a living example of God’s authority, provision, and protection, showing children how to balance strength with gentleness.
Fathers should be the first heroes a child knows, influencing their emotional, moral, and spiritual development.
My son, do not despise the Lord’s discipline or be weary of his reproof, for the Lord reproves him whom he loves, as a father the son in whom he delights. Pr. 3:11-12
To Reflect God’s Character
God is described as the perfect Father —a loving, merciful, just, and faithful disciplinarian. Fathers on earth are called to imitate this love and discipline, showing patience, kindness, and correction that builds character imitating God’s character.
Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as his children. For what children are not disciplined by their father? 8 If you are not disciplined—and everyone undergoes discipline—then you are not legitimate, not true sons and daughters at all. 9 Moreover, we have all had human fathers who disciplined us and we respected them for it. How much more should we submit to the Father of spirits and live! 10 They disciplined us for a little while as they thought best; but God disciplines us for our good, in order that we may share in his holiness. 11 No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it. Heb. 12:7-11
Practical and Relational Roles
God envisioned fathers to be providers and protectors, performing both practical and nurturing tasks. They’re expected to care for the family, make important decisions, and support their children in everyday life—from teaching skills to offering comfort and encouragement. Their presence helps children feel secure and valued, while their guidance and measured discipline shapes character and resilience.
Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord. Eph. 6:4
Identity and Development
Fathers play a crucial role in helping children understand their identity, particularly in terms of gender and personal development. Boys often look to their fathers for a model of masculinity, while girls rely on fathers to affirm their femininity and sense of self. This influence helps children grow into confident, well-rounded individuals secure in how God created them.
If we had more fathers taking on this role in their families, there would be far less identity and gender confusion among children.
The father of the righteous will greatly rejoice; he who fathers a wise son will be glad in him. Pr. 23:24
Biblical and Kingdom Perspective
From a biblical standpoint, God calls men to fatherhood as part of His plan for building and managing a family, reflecting His kingdom principles on Earth. Fatherhood is a responsibility that mirrors God’s governance, teaching men to lead, nurture, and cultivate a loving household while preparing their children for life and spiritual growth. Raising children to be progressively independent of their parents and permanently dependent on God.
Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it. Pr. 22:6
Summary
In essence, God made fathers to protect, provide, guide, discipline, and inspire, combining strength with love, authority and discipline with care, and practical support with emotional presence. Fathers should be a role model in the family, shaping children’s lives and reflecting God’s character in tangible ways that children can follow in their own lives.
Specifically to boys fathers are created to be the role model of masculinity, leadership, and spiritual as well as physical strength. A father of girls is to be the role model of the kind of husband she should one day seek who treats her with kindness, respect, and reflects godly life principles.
As a father has compassion on his children, so the Lord has compassion on those who fear him. Ps. 103:13
The Father of Lies!
Why is my language not clear to you? Because you are unable to hear what I say. 44 You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out your father’s desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies. 45 Yet because I tell the truth, you do not believe me! John 8:43-45
I described earlier the ideal plan God had for fathers and families. But because of the fall when sin and evil entered the world in the Garden of Eden, our culture often follows Satan the father of lies resulting in abusive, abandoning, or absent fathers.
Maybe you had a father like that and it’s hard to think of God as a Heavenly Father. Please know that God is a loving caring Father who wants to help you carry your burdens.
God is Our Heavenly Father
The Bible Wisdom Hub has a great discussion of God, the Father, in the Bible. Here’s an overview and would make a great Bible study.
The term “Father” is mentioned numerous times throughout the Bible, carrying various meanings and connotations depending on the context in which it is used. In the Old Testament, “Father” often refers to God as the creator and sustainer of all things, emphasizing His authority, care, and love for His people. The paternal imagery is particularly prominent in the Psalms and the Prophetic books, where God is portrayed as a caring and protective Father to His chosen people.
In the New Testament, the term “Father” takes on a new dimension with the introduction of Jesus as the Son of God. Jesus frequently addresses God as “Father” in his teachings and prayers, highlighting the intimate relationship between believers and their heavenly Father. This relational aspect of God as Father is central to Christian faith, emphasizing the idea of God’s paternal love, mercy, and provision for His children.
The concept of God as Father is further developed in the writings of the apostles, particularly in the letters of Paul and John. Paul speaks of believers being adopted as sons and daughters of God through faith in Christ, emphasizing the spiritual kinship and inheritance that Christians have as children of God. John, in his Gospel and epistles, emphasizes the Father’s love for His children and the importance of living in harmony with God’s will as obedient children.
In the New Testament alone, Jesus referred to God as “Father” around 165 times. This emphasizes the importance of the father-son relationship between Jesus and God in Christian theology. The term “Father” is mentioned over 1536 times in the Old Testament, reflecting the significance of this relational aspect of God’s identity and His role in the lives of believers.
Whether as the Creator and sustainer of all things in the Old Testament or as the loving and merciful Father in the New Testament, the concept of God as Father serves as a foundational theme throughout the biblical narrative, shaping the understanding of God’s character and the believer’s identity as His children.
Overall, the theme of God as a loving and caring father is prevalent throughout the Bible, emphasizing the intimate relationship between God and His people.
My Earthly and Heavenly Father
In the opening, I mentioned that my beloved father was murdered. The next year, I was invited to a church youth camp where the Pastor’s wife and my camp counselor sat on my cot and said, “We know you’ve lost your earthly father. Would you like a Heavenly Father who will never leave you or forsake you?” They helped me work through my grief and brought something good out of tragedy as I accepted the LORD as my Savior. After all these years, I can still remember that moment of God becoming my Heavenly Father.
I pray that when I go to heaven, I will again be reunited with my earthly father, but I am so grateful that my Heavenly Father watches over me and guides me through my mistakes and victories, heartaches and celebrations, and literally led me to the godly man I married 33 years ago who became a stepfather to my daughter.
One of our grandsons had personalized bookmarks at every place setting at his wedding. On my husband’s bookmark our grandson wrote, “You must’ve been a great father to raise my awesome dad!”
Two Grieving Father’s Stories!
“𝘈𝘶𝘴𝘵𝘪𝘯 𝘤𝘢𝘮𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘮𝘦 𝘭𝘢𝘴𝘵 𝘯𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵 𝘪𝘯 𝘢 𝘥𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘮 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘴𝘢𝘪𝘥, 𝘐’𝘮 𝘰𝘬𝘢𝘺. 𝘐𝘵 𝘨𝘪𝘷𝘦𝘴 𝘮𝘦 𝘱𝘦𝘢𝘤𝘦. 𝘋𝘰𝘦𝘴𝘯’𝘵 𝘮𝘦𝘢𝘯 𝘐 𝘥𝘰𝘯’𝘵 𝘩𝘶𝘳𝘵. 𝘉𝘶𝘵 𝘪𝘵 𝘨𝘪𝘷𝘦𝘴 𝘮𝘦 𝘨𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘵 𝘱𝘦𝘢𝘤𝘦.”
Jeff Metcalf, father of Austin and his identical twin Hunter, spoke publicly after Karmelo Anthony was convicted of stabbing Austin to death at a Frisco, Texas track meet in April 2025. Austin was 17. What Metcalf said in the interview was not about the sentence or the verdict.
𝐈𝐭 𝐰𝐚𝐬 𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐰𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐢𝐭 𝐜𝐨𝐬𝐭𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐥𝐨𝐬𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐤𝐞𝐩𝐭 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐯𝐞.
Almost a decade ago, Jeff Metcalf was diagnosed with cancer. Doctors did not expect him to survive. “𝘛𝘩𝘰𝘴𝘦 𝘣𝘰𝘺𝘴 𝘸𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘮𝘺 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘺𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨. 𝘐 𝘩𝘢𝘥 𝘤𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘦𝘳 𝘢𝘭𝘮𝘰𝘴𝘵 𝘵𝘦𝘯 𝘺𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘴 𝘢𝘨𝘰. 𝘐 𝘸𝘢𝘴𝘯’𝘵 𝘴𝘶𝘱𝘱𝘰𝘴𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘭𝘪𝘷𝘦, 𝘣𝘶𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘮𝘺 𝘸𝘩𝘺, 𝘵𝘰 𝘧𝘪g𝘩𝘵. 𝘈𝘯𝘥 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘴𝘦 𝘣𝘰𝘺𝘴, 𝘐 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘣𝘢𝘣𝘭𝘺 𝘸𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘴𝘶𝘤𝘤𝘶𝘮𝘣𝘦𝘥 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘨𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘪𝘯.”
𝐇𝐞 𝐟𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡 𝐢𝐭. 𝐇𝐞 𝐬𝐮𝐫𝐯𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐝. 𝐇𝐞 𝐰𝐚𝐬 𝐠𝐨𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐨 𝐛𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐬𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐰𝐢𝐬𝐝𝐨𝐦, 𝐭𝐨 𝐰𝐚𝐭𝐜𝐡 𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐬𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝐠𝐫𝐨𝐰, 𝐭𝐨 𝐛𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐟𝐚𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐲 𝐰𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐧𝐞𝐞𝐝.
At a press conference after the murder, Austin’s dad tried to extend a Christian olive branch to the Anthony’s to say he forgave Karmelo and offered to pray with the family, but the Anthonys had the police remove him. The person who lost his son was then harassed, swatted 6 times, and the victim of DARVO, Deny Accuse Reverse Victim and Offender.
Watch this Christian father, Jeff Metcalf, speak to Rob Schmitt on Newsmax after the trial and contrast him with how the father of Karmelo Anthony is reacting.
Here is wise advice from a black man to black fathers, but it applies to every father and parent…
“Dear Black Americans wondering what to tell your sons after what happened to Karmelo Anthony:
This is what you tell them:
Do not be like Karmelo Anthony.
Do not bring a knife to school.
Do not bring a knife to a track meet.
Do not fight at school.
Do not bully, threaten, or provoke other students.
Stay out of trouble and walk away when you can.
Teach your sons to respect people of every race. Do not teach them to hate white people because of their skin color or because of things that happened in the past that today’s white children had nothing to do with.
Teach them self-control, accountability, and the value of human life. Being angry does not give anyone the right to pull out a weapon.
A school fight should never end with one child dead and another spending years behind bars.
Stop making excuses after tragedy happens. Start teaching our children how to avoid the tragedy in the first place.”—Terrence K. Williams, black comedian being quite serious.
One father will be visiting his son’s grave on Father’s Day, and one father will be visiting his son in jail. It didn’t have to be this way.
“The world needs more kind people in it. And if you can’t find one, then be one.” Jeff Metcalf
PS: There won’t be a Monday Morning blog next week as I’ll be spending time with our son who is coming to visit us for Father’s Day. Have a blessed Father’s Day. Remember to honor and celebrate your Heavenly Father EVERYDAY!
Please leave a comment here and I’ll reply.
Great article, Janet. I am so thankful for my Heavenly Father. HE has never left me nor forsaken me. 💔