A Sheep Leading a Lamb

Read: Ephesians 6:4; Proverbs 3:5–6; John 10:27

Focus: “My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me.” — John 10:27, NIV

Key truth: I am not the Shepherd. I am a sheep trying to lead a lamb.

Read

One of the strangest things about becoming a father is realizing that your children believe you know what you are doing. At least when they are little.

They assume you know the answers. They trust you to make decisions. They believe you can fix almost anything.

Then they become teenagers and begin noticing all the things you do not know. The mistakes. The inconsistencies. The moments when your patience runs out.

If we are being fair, sometimes they are right. I have been a father for years, but I am still learning how to be one.

Explore

Ephesians 6:4 instructs fathers to bring their children up in the training and instruction of the Lord. There is something important in those final words: of the Lord.

God does not tell fathers to make their children into smaller versions of themselves. He calls them to raise their children in his ways.

That distinction matters. Sometimes what I want for my son and what God is doing in his life might not look exactly the same.

I might want him to avoid every mistake, but God may teach him wisdom through the consequences of his decisions. I might want him to follow my instructions immediately, but God is developing discernment that will eventually allow him to make faithful decisions without me.

John 10:27 describes Jesus’ sheep as those who hear his voice and follow him. That is ultimately the voice I want my son to recognize. Not just mine.

Notice

I am not the Shepherd. I am a sheep trying to lead a lamb.

That means I need instruction just as much as my son does. I need forgiveness. I need correction. I need to admit when I have been wrong.

One of the most powerful things I can demonstrate to my children is what it looks like for a grown man to submit his own will to God. Not only when life is easy or on Sunday morning, but when I am frustrated, tired, disappointed, or convinced that everyone else is wrong.

Reflect

The goal of parenting is not to create children who never question us. It is to help them develop the wisdom to recognize truth, the courage to follow it, and the humility to receive correction. We have to demonstrate those things ourselves.

Sometimes the best lesson I can give my son is admitting that I handled something poorly. Sometimes it is asking his forgiveness. Sometimes it is simply letting him see me pray when I do not know what to do.

The goal is not that my son always follows me. It is that he learns to follow the Shepherd.

Rest

Lord, forgive me for the times I have confused my authority with Yours. Teach me to lead with humility, correct with wisdom, and demonstrate what it means to follow You. May my children see Your goodness more clearly through the way I live. Amen.

Question for reflection: What does your family see when you realize you have been wrong? Do they see defensiveness, or someone willing to follow God’s correction?