This morning I had the opportunity to take my son to a nearby park. The church that we are a part of has spent the past three years visiting this area. Next door to the park is a low-income housing complex. About 500 people live in this place and we have invested time, money and energy here as a church.
When I found out that we would be begin having a sports day once each month and that there was a need for providing food after the camp, I knew that my son and I would be meeting that need.
You see, for the past month or so whenever we would grill something at home I would get my son out there to start the grill. I believe that every boy should know how to grill. How to light it, how to clean it, seasoning, when to flip a slab of meat, how to check if it’s done, etc, etc. It’s something that a young man needs to learn. An essential box for him to check off on his future man card. Of course being a young guy now, he doesn’t see the value in it, but someday he’ll appreciate the training he received.
That’s the first of the essentials to be passed on from dad to son. Mastering the Grill.
Second and honestly the main reason for this post is this: Every dad should pass on the importance of serving others to his son. In our part of the world we receive endless self serving messages. Get what you deserve. Look out for number one. Meet your own needs first. I don’t buy it. And I don’t want my son to buy into it either. SO, I look for ways that my son can turn off his iPad, step out of his comfortable life for a while and meet the needs of others.
I honestly have a hard time coming up with anything else that is more important than the habit of serving. I want my son to grow up with a giving, serving, generous heart that looks to the needs of others over his own needs. I do my best to model that for him and I look for opportunities where he can serve. If we can do it together, even better.
I would encourage you, dads, to look for a way to serve this weekend. Take your boy along with you.
Doors of conversation that cannot happen any other way will open up before you. Questions will be asked... some you may not have the answers to.
Why does a person act that way? Why didn’t they say thank you? Why do we have to do this? It’s hot, I want to go home, can we leave yet? WHY DID WE HAVE TO DO THIS? Why this? Why that? How? When?
I’d also recommend not answering the questions too quickly... actually I’d recommend you go by Sonic, grab a cold drink and sit down across from your boy and let him talk and sort through his thoughts about why people act, say, do the things they do. Ask him why he thinks it’s important to serve? And then shut up and let him talk... suffer through the silence while he forms his thoughts through words.
Then talk about Minecraft, Halo, Pokemon. Trust that a lesson has been planted deep in his young impressionable heart. Keep your eyes open for the next place to serve with your boy.
Oh and by the way... this is important to do with your daughter as well.
When I found out that we would be begin having a sports day once each month and that there was a need for providing food after the camp, I knew that my son and I would be meeting that need.
You see, for the past month or so whenever we would grill something at home I would get my son out there to start the grill. I believe that every boy should know how to grill. How to light it, how to clean it, seasoning, when to flip a slab of meat, how to check if it’s done, etc, etc. It’s something that a young man needs to learn. An essential box for him to check off on his future man card. Of course being a young guy now, he doesn’t see the value in it, but someday he’ll appreciate the training he received.
That’s the first of the essentials to be passed on from dad to son. Mastering the Grill.
Second and honestly the main reason for this post is this: Every dad should pass on the importance of serving others to his son. In our part of the world we receive endless self serving messages. Get what you deserve. Look out for number one. Meet your own needs first. I don’t buy it. And I don’t want my son to buy into it either. SO, I look for ways that my son can turn off his iPad, step out of his comfortable life for a while and meet the needs of others.
I honestly have a hard time coming up with anything else that is more important than the habit of serving. I want my son to grow up with a giving, serving, generous heart that looks to the needs of others over his own needs. I do my best to model that for him and I look for opportunities where he can serve. If we can do it together, even better.
I would encourage you, dads, to look for a way to serve this weekend. Take your boy along with you.
Doors of conversation that cannot happen any other way will open up before you. Questions will be asked... some you may not have the answers to.
Why does a person act that way? Why didn’t they say thank you? Why do we have to do this? It’s hot, I want to go home, can we leave yet? WHY DID WE HAVE TO DO THIS? Why this? Why that? How? When?
I’d also recommend not answering the questions too quickly... actually I’d recommend you go by Sonic, grab a cold drink and sit down across from your boy and let him talk and sort through his thoughts about why people act, say, do the things they do. Ask him why he thinks it’s important to serve? And then shut up and let him talk... suffer through the silence while he forms his thoughts through words.
Then talk about Minecraft, Halo, Pokemon. Trust that a lesson has been planted deep in his young impressionable heart. Keep your eyes open for the next place to serve with your boy.
Oh and by the way... this is important to do with your daughter as well.