Quality Time

“But if anyone does not provide for his relatives, and especially for members of his household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.” 1 Timothy 5:8

Something very near and dear to me is my family. I love my parents, my in-laws, grandparents, cousins, aunts, uncles, etc., but I love my wife and son more. I’ll quote one of my favorite preachers and say, “If you really want to make me mad, start messing with my family.” I have always been a man who cares for the sake of his family. By all means, whatever action is necessary, I will protect them and provide for them, as any man should.

Pastor Box preached an outstanding message Sunday morning from his new 7-week series entitled, “The Believer’s Checklist” and this week, he spoke on the subject of “Giving.” Pastor said something in his sermon that has really struck me and stuck with me this week. He said, “The average working dad spends 8 minutes with their children; and the average working mom spends 11 minutes with their children.” It broke my heart when I heard that.

There are 1,440 minutes in a day and if the average dad spends 8 minutes a day with their children, that means the average dad only spend 0.5% of their day with their children…not even 1% of their day. That is disgusting to me. God intended people to work, and I know some people work multiple jobs, and I thank God every day for the job I have and my wife has, but family time is important to me.

In order to experience great things, sometimes you have to say “no” to the good things. I look forward to coming home to my wife and son every day. I look forward to teaching him how to change the oil in his car, throw a baseball, shoot a basketball, ride his bicycle, and more. Why? Because God has put in me to be a father before anything else.

I pray today that you would be encouraged, no matter how hard or long you work, remember to tell your kids you love them, pray for them daily, and love your spouse. A successful life does not mean all the riches and money in the world. Success means balance between family, faith, and finances. May God bless you today!