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From the writings of the Rev. Billy Graham

Dear Rev. Graham: I’ve always been a “nervous father,” never feeling adequate for the responsibility; I have tried to care for my family and meet their needs, but it creates a lot of stress. I give my family everything they want, so I don’t know why people think it’s wrong to treat myself to a night or two out enjoying a beer with my buddies. Leaders, coaches, entertainers, and others, do it, why can’t dads? – T.F.

Dear T.F.: Children are in the care of their parents for a very short time. A highly respected attorney who lived in a small town stopped on the way home from work for a drink every now and then. One evening on his way home, as the snow was falling, he heard a sound behind him. Turning, he saw his son stepping into his footprints.
The father asked, “Son, what are you doing?” The son replied, “I’m following your footsteps.” The father sent his son home, but he couldn’t go into the bar. He realized, then, that a child will emulate a parent by what they see, not always by what they hear. Many parents provide for their kids but do not always set good examples. Children are impressionable.
Our lives speak loudly to those around us, especially the children in our home. They will learn far more by watching than by just listening. We need to place God at the center of our families. God will honor parents who will teach their families by word and deed for He “blesses the home of the just” (Proverbs 3:33, NKJV).
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(This column is based on the words and writings of the late Rev. Billy Graham.)