A Call to Manhood

“He taught me also, and said unto me, Let thine heart retain my words: keep my commandments, and live.” (Proverbs 4:4).
King David, the man after God’s own heart, was not perfect. In fact, his family was practically destroyed from the consequences of his adulterous relationship with Bathsheba. The sins of David were visited upon his children. Nevertheless, David repented of his sin and continued to serve God. He did his best to pass down godly wisdom and counsel to his sons, particularly to Solomon. In I Kings 2:1-3, David called Solomon to manhood. “Now the days of David drew nigh that he should die; and he charged Solomon his son, saying, I go the way of all the earth: be thou strong therefore, and show thyself a man; And keep the charge of the Lord thy God, to walk in his ways, to keep his statues, and his commandments, and his judgments, and his testimonies, as it is written in the law of Moses, that thou mayest prosper in all that thou doest, and whithersoever thou turnest thyself.” [emphasis added] Fathers, you have a duty to instruct your children in the faith (Deuteronomy 6:5-7) and to live a godly life before them (Deuteronomy 11:18-21). John Eldredge in Wild at Heart discusses the importance of calling a boy to manhood. “A boy learns who he is and what he’s got from a man, or the company of men. He cannot learn it any other place…The plan from the beginning of time was that his father would lay the foundation for a young boy’s heart, and pass on to him that essential knowledge and confidence in his strength. Dad would be the first man in his life, and forever the most important man.” Fathers, call your sons to manhood and charge them to be men of God.