In the movie, Courageous, the Kendrick brothers presented a Resolution for fathers as leaders in their household. I was moved by the movie in so many ways. I believe in the commitments detailed in the Resolution and renew them annually with my wife and children. To round out the year, I want to share my thoughts on these commitments.
I do solemnly resolve before God to take full responsibility for myself, my wife, and my children.
3. I WILL bless my children and teach them to love God with all of their hearts, all of their minds, and all of their strength.
I must be a blessing rather than a curse to my children. To “teach them to love God” is to teach them to explore faith for themselves and to love all of Creation. God is love. Therefore, my greatest responsibility is to teach my children to love—to love themselves and their neighbor. It is not so much my role to teach them religious practices. It is my responsibility to pursue God—with all their hearts, all their minds, and all their strength.
4. I WILL train them to honor authority and live responsibly.
We are living in an age when authority is increasingly questioned and disrespected. In many cases, our leaders and persons in positions of authority have brought dishonor upon themselves. Honor is not blind. I teach my children, however, to be respectful of those who are in leadership positions. To honor authority also means that we respect our own positions of authority over other. We cannot question our leaders and not expect our own leadership to be questions. We cannot expect to be respected if we dis respect others.
To live responsibility is to live “I am third”. Call it the “golden rule”—treat others as you wish to be treated—if you prefer. I am reminded of the “Tragedy of the Commons” when I think of living responsibly. We cannot live in the moment disregard those who will come after us. This is not what I intend when I say “carpe momento”. When I admonish my children to “be your best today; be better tomorrow” there is an unstated implication of “…for others.”
I must be the example of this for my children. How they respond to their leaders and their neighbors begins with me.