“And you, fathers, do not provoke your children to wrath, but bring them up in the training and admonition of the Lord” (Ephesians 6:4, NKJV). On Father’s Day, this verse offers a fitting charge, not perfection, but patient, intentional leadership.
The warning against provoking to wrath is worth noticing first. This isn’t only a call to positive instruction, it’s also a caution against the harsh, careless patterns that can quietly wound rather than build up.
Training and admonition of the Lord points beyond mere discipline toward genuine spiritual formation, fathers pointing their children toward God, not just toward good behavior.
Whether you’re a father, had a father, or are grateful for a father figure in your life, take a moment today to honor the patient, intentional leadership this verse describes, wherever you’ve seen it lived out well.