The Men of Iron Minute

by Ryan Zook | Curriculum & Content Developer

The Irreplaceable Role of a Father at Home

If you leave your job, they will hire someone to take your place relatively quickly. If you leave your family, they will struggle for generations.

You can’t be replaced at home.

Many of us easily recognize this as accurate, and yet many of us live like it’s not. As men, we are driven toward success. We are hardwired to move forward and work hard to improve things. Far too often, we do that at work rather than at home. Whether it’s a contract, a deadline, a promotion, a deficit, or a launch, the temptation to stay late and leave early regularly occurs across industries. There are times when you need to go hard and give extra. But don’t forget that your job might support you, but your family needs you.

All those late nights and early mornings add up quickly. Before you know it, the time to connect with your kids is slipping away, and your job isn’t as fulfilling as you thought it would be.

Don’t forget to show up when your kids need it.

Don’t forget to show up when your wife needs it.

If you readily work late because your boss asked you to, make sure you show up when your kids ask you to.

Remember, God hasn’t commanded you to meet a deadline, get a promotion, or make a sale. While these can be blessings from God, they’re not directly addressed in scripture. You won’t find a Bible passage telling you to meet a deadline a week early, but you will find scripture commanding you to love, care for, and raise your children in a way that honors God as the ultimate Father.

In our pursuit of professional success, we often overlook what God truly commands of us as fathers. Deuteronomy 6:5-9 says: “And you must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your strength. And you must commit yourselves wholeheartedly to these commands that I am giving you today. Repeat them again and again to your children. Talk about them when you are at home and when you are on the road, when you are going to bed and when you are getting up. Tie them to your hands and wear them on your forehead as reminders. Write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.”

This passage reminds us of our primary responsibility as fathers: to guide our children in faith and love.

Your legacy at work will fade over time, but the legacy you build at home will last for generations.

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