I have been sitting with something Paul writes to Titus about picking leaders for the church. He does not start with preaching ability or a theology degree. He starts with a man’s own house. Blameless, faithful to his wife, and one line that stops me every time, with children who believe (Titus 1:6).

Paul is saying something most of us would rather not hear. The clearest evidence of a man’s character is not what he says on a Sunday morning. It is what his kids grow up believing is actually true, because they watched him live it every other day of the week.

That is a heavy thing to sit with as a father. It is also the power in it. I do not need a platform to shape somebody’s soul. I already have one, at my own kitchen table, every single day. The prayer I actually pray out loud. The apology I actually give when I am wrong. The Bible that is either open on my nightstand or closed on a shelf, my kids are the ones watching which one it is.

Being a dad was never a distraction from ministry. For a lot of us, it is the whole of it.

Today’s Bible Study

Before Joshua dies, he gathers all of Israel and makes them choose. Serve the gods of the land, or serve the Lord. Then he does not wait around for their answer before giving his own. As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord (Joshua 24:15). He does not poll his family. He does not wait to see which way everyone else is leaning. He says it first, out loud, as the one responsible for leading them. I think about that every time I catch myself staying quiet about my faith at home just to keep things easy. Joshua did not have that option. Honestly, neither do I.

Recommended Reading

If you are looking for somewhere to start, I have been leaning on Saint Joseph, listed as the patron of fathers on our Resources page. Not a single recorded word from him in Scripture, only action, and it is worth asking his intercession the next time fatherhood feels heavier than you expected.