Every Child Needs The Father’s Support

All children are gifts from God. So, whether born in or out of wedlock, their dads should love and support them.

Every child needs the father’s support because we pass on a heritage of faith and good instructions to our children. Isaiah 38:19 explains that a father tells his children about the faithfulness of God. It is through our children that our faith lives on. Every child is a gift to us to be able to pass on God’s love, laws, commands, instructions, guidance, and directions to the next generation. They should be cared for.

Abraham’s Story

Let us consider the man, Abraham. Now Abraham had two sons before his wife, Sarah died. One of the sons was born in wedlock by his wife, Sarah, and the other was born out of wedlock by his maidservant, Hagar. Now, if we take a close look at the stories of how Abraham took care of these two children, we can learn something.

Before Isaac was born, we learn that Ishmael was given birth to. Although Ishmael’s birth was not entirely Abraham’s original idea, he still accepted him. Before Ishmael’s birth, Abraham let his mother, Hagar go due to pressure mounting from his wife, Sarai. But it was obvious that God had a unique plan for him (Ishmael) and he was brought back and delivered at home (Gen. 16:5-16).

At first glance, it would seem as though God was the one interested in Ishmael and not Abraham, but we see in Genesis 17:18-20, that Abraham made a plea to God for a blessing for his son, Ishmael which God answered. It is also interesting to note that Ishmael was about fourteen years old before the birth of Isaac. All this while, he was in the care of his father, Abraham.

Judging from who Abraham was, I doubt that Ishmael would not have enjoyed the privileges, nurture and guidance of his father, though born out of wedlock. In fact, Ishmael was also circumcised just as any of Abraham’s offspring (Gen. 17:26).

For Isaac who was born of the promise, we see Abraham also accepting him and taking good care of him. He brought him up in God’s way as is obvious from His (Isaac’s) character and we see God blessing him too as Abraham must have surely asked (Gen. 25:11).

Isaac was also circumcised just like Ishmael and Abraham gave both his sons good gifts from his storehouse of wealth (Gen. 21:4, Gen. 25:5-6). It may seem that Abraham did not want Isaac and Ishmael to cohabit together. But this was not because he hated Ishmael. In fact, the Bible records that he was grieved to let Ishmael go. If anything, it must have probably been because of the different paths God had laid out for each of them (Gen. 21:9-13).

Regardless, both of them were properly nurtured by their father, Abraham. We see the both of them honoring his burial. Now tell me, if he was wicked and unfair, would they have cared? Or would they “both” have attended (Gen. 25:9)?

Coming further, we find it amazing to see how intentional God was about each of their lives – being His gifts, as the descendants of Ishmael would later on play a vital role in the story of one of Isaac’s descendants – the boy Joseph (Gen. 37:25-28).

Jesus’ Story

Another story is that of Jesus. Shocking one, right? You know, although Jesus is not really termed as one born out of wedlock, it can be “interpreted” so (permit me), owing to the fact that Joseph did not actually get Mary pregnant.

Now, Joseph as a dad had a choice to disown Mary. I am sure he bore some shame. I mean, he would have been looked at as the irresponsible guy who got his fiancée pregnant. Yet he still chose her, stuck with her, and raised our Lord Jesus in the right way (Matt. 1:18-25). We learn that Joseph was a carpenter and Jesus before He started His ministry, was one too (Matt. 13:55, Mk. 6:3). This shows some fatherly love, support, and training. Jesus had other brothers and sisters (born “in wedlock”), and of course, they too must have been loved and trained by their father, Joseph.

All these go to show that children are indeed gifts from God – whether they come legitimately or illegitimately (Ps. 127:3). While promiscuity is not encouraged, human mistakes do not rule out the ultimate and divine plan of God (Rom. 8:28).

We all are a part of the Big Story and as dads, accepting our kids despite the circumstances that surround their birth and taking on the responsibility to train them in the way of the Lord is what places a smile on God’s face. That is what Abraham obeyed (Gen. 18:19). The sons we neglect today become the dads who may end up doing the same or even worse tomorrow. There is much to be done, so we say that “Dads in all nations rise!” Happy Father’s Day!

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