Father’s Day: Diligently Teach Your Children

June 2025

Every child needs a father to be there for him, to teach him in word and, most of all, by example. Kids look up to their dads and mimic their behavior. It is such a big responsibility. Fathers who learn from our Heavenly Father make the best teachers. There are many things we teach our kids, but the greatest thing is the Word of God. Deuteronomy 6:6-7 says, “And these words which I command you today shall be in your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down, and when you rise up.” Life is a school house, and everywhere we go is an opportunity to teach our kids.

Russell Payson said, “What if God should place a diamond in your hand and tell you to inscribe on it a sentence which should be read at the Last Day and shown there as an index of your thoughts and feelings! What care, what caution would you exercise in the selection! (The diamond is your child).” How and what do we teach our kids?

One person penned these principles of a father’s teaching: “He teaches kindness by being thoughtful and gracious even at home. He teaches patience by being gentle and understanding over and over. He teaches honesty by keeping his promises to his family even when it costs. He teaches courage by living unafraid with faith, in all circumstances. He teaches justice by being fair and dealing equally with everyone. He teaches obedience to God’s Word by precept and example as he reads and prays daily with his family. He teaches love for God and his church as he takes his family regularly to all the services. His steps are important because others follow.”

In Ephesians 6:4, Paul urged fathers, “And you fathers, do not provoke your children to wrath, but bring them up in the training and admonition of the Lord.” Don’t be overwhelmed by the immensity of the task but trust God for the results. Solomon said it well, “Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it.” Fathers, diligently teach your children.