Being a father is one of the most rewarding gifts of being a man. How great it is to invest in the life of a little one and then launch them into the world!

We dads have the unique privilege of giving our children their first taste of a father’s love by our touches and teachings, by playful wrestling and patient instruction. We instill confidence and inspire success, we provide nurture and discipline.

Yet the best dads not only display strength and prowess when engaging in games and sports, they also let their children win. They inspire admiration and allow for some idolization when their kids are young, but they help level the playing field as their children age by revealing their own limitations and uncertainties as fathers.

At some point, the best dads lead their children into the understanding that we are all the same. We are all children and we need a perfect daddy. No human father can possibly fill the longing our hearts harbor for that Dad that is strong enough to carry us in our weakest times in life and to contain us in our times of intense rebellion or grief.

In our best moments as dads, we give our children a taste of our heavenly Daddy’s love and we prime them to connect with Him. Indeed, we all tend to see God in the light of our earthly dad. Yet in our worst moments, dads can also point to the one Dad when we acknowledge our brokenness and lead our children to find refuge in Him, their heart’s true home.

Identifying with an earthly dad is a great thing, but finding our true identity in our heavenly Father is the best thing. Jesus says, “Do not call anyone on earth ‘father,’ for you have one Father, and he is in heaven.” Matthew 23:9

For all you dads who have kids open to your love, tell them! For those with prodigals, pray for God to bring them home. And for all of you with an earthly dad that can be honored, use words or actions to express your thanks to him today.

But for all of us, let us remember we all share a Father who loves us more than we can comprehend. Share the love with Him, too. Happy Father’s Day, Daddy!

Happy Father’s Day, all!