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Apples of Gold
Radio Script for October 26, 2009
“Come to Daddy”
Hello, I’m Doug Apple…with Apples of Gold.
I did the same thing with all my kids.
I would stand them up in front of me, step back and say, “Come to Daddy.”
Then they would wobble and shake and finally plop down on their Pamper-padded posterior.
It took a few times, but finally they would take that first shaky step or two, then fall again.
Eventually they began walking, of course, so what did we do? We put up little fences in the doorway. And then what did I do?
I would stand them up in front of the fence, then hike their little baby shoe up, you know, just to give them an idea, to open their mind to the possibilities.
I did the same with their crib. “Oh, you don’t like being in the crib? Here, give me your foot and let me show you something.”
This seems to be more of a dad thing, because as soon as I visit someone’s house and I take their baby’s foot and show them a thing or two it’s always the mom that squeals, “What are you doing? Don’t give them any ideas.”
But I think this is my role as a dad, to open their eyes to the possibilities, then encourage them to go for it, to learn something, to master it.
It starts with simple things like teaching them to walk and climb out of the crib. Then it graduates to things like riding a bike and eventually driving a car.
I remember teaching my son to drive a stick-shift. It was much the same as teaching him to walk. “Come on, you can do this. One step at a time. Don’t give up. Just keep trying. You can do it.”
Do you recognize that pep talk? We give it to them with their grades and sports and everything else.
It’s called encouragement, and it’s something we must offer our children every day.
In First Thessalonians 2 we find three ways that a father deals with his child, and the first thing it mentions is encouragement. The King James uses the word “exhort.” It means we support our kids, we inspire them and build up their confidence.
Dads, are you inspiring your children? Are you building up their confidence?
How can you build up their confidence? Well one way is with positive words. Just last night my wife told our 20-year-old son, “You can do anything you set your mind to.” Those are confidence-building words.
But you can use more than just words. I like to build confidence by having them do something.
For example, my daughter’s brake light went out. Now I could have easily changed it for her, but instead I saw a chance to help her grow, to build her confidence. I handed her the screwdriver and the light bulb. I told her what to do, but she did the work herself.
I remember when we bought our middle daughter a shelf for her bedroom, one of those you have to put together yourself. I gave her the box and the tools and said, “All the instructions are in there. Figure it out.”
Now some people might think that’s just lazy fathering, but that’s not it at all. I would gladly have put it together for her, but then she would have only had a shelf. Instead she ended up with a shelf, plus the confidence that came with doing it herself. So a couple of shelves ended up backwards. That only added to the memory!
So we are to encourage our children, and it’s something we never stop doing.
First Thessalonians 2:11 also mentions fathers comforting their children. That may sound more like a mother’s role, but fathers should do it, too.
And you know one great way a father comforts his children? By being there. I know many fathers end up being away due to their positions, but try to remedy that if you can. Yesterday I heard of a dad who is gone five days a week. Saturday I heard of a dad who has been living and working apart from his wife and child for six months. That is no comfort to the child. I say Dad, try to find a way to be there. A father’s mere presence brings comfort to a child.
It also brings comfort to a child when a dad sets a steady course. He keeps his word. He is reliable. He is a sure foundation.
So comforting is more than just wiping away a tear when they skin their knee. Yes, that’s part of it, but it also includes things like listening to their teenage struggles, etc.
So dads, be a comfort to your children.
And finally it talks about urging them to live lives worthy of God. Yes, we urge them to walk, but more importantly we urge them to walk with the Lord.
It starts with little Bible stories at bedtime, and carries through urging them to live for the Lord through adolescence and fanning the flame on their own when they move out.
So that’s three points, especially for fathers, but applying to all parents.
We are to encourage our children. And we are to comfort them. And we are to urge them to live lives worthy of the Lord.
Comments?
E-mail me: dougapple@wave94.com.
May God bless you today! With Apples of Gold…I’m Doug Apple.
© 2009 The Arrow’s Tip
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(Proverbs 25:11 – “A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in settings of silver.”)
Why “The Arrow’s Tip”? Each morning, after diligently seeking the Lord, I write Apples of Gold. Then before I release it to the public I pray one final prayer, “Lord, send forth your arrows.” I envision Apples of Gold as arrows, tips dipped in the river of the water of life that flows from the throne of God (Rev. 22:1), sailing toward the hearts and minds of men and women around the world.
Doug Apple
General Manager - Wave 94
Christian Radio for Tallahassee
PO Box 4105
Tallahassee, FL 32315
(850) 926-8000
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