Chapter 3 is titled, The Drift of Sons.
The chapter opens up with a story about Jeffry Dahmer and his dad’s reaction to a desire to explore his brain after he was killed in prison. The dad didn’t want it done, he knew that he failed as a dad and blamed himself.
The author makes the following claim:
When Dad is absent, boys begin to sink into themselves. They begin to drift.
Then he makes the following of statement, to which I couldn’t agree more with:
Our culture is convulsing today because, in the words of David Blankenhorn, we have undertaken a social experiment “of the most daring and untested design. It [fatherlessness] represents a radical departure from virtually all human history and experience.” Only fathers can halt the drift of the sons.
Next he brings out Proverbs 17:6:
“Grandchildren are the crown of old men, and the glory of sons is their fathers.”
Am I a glory to my sons?
Next he goes into what it means to be a glory to your sons. “My dad is stronger than your dad.” Kind of says it all, you don’t hear similar comparisons between children about their moms. Just dad. Children want a strong dad. The author gave hope, as there is a bit of a dad revolution. Being Dad is coming back. Dad is refilling his role in the house, and if it sticks there is hope.
Then he said the one thing that hit me the hardest in this book.
We’re giving our sons good things, but not the best things.
Hanging out with our children at their baseball games is good. But teaching them Biblical wisdom is best.
I need to give my children the best things in life and not just let life happen. So do you.
[Initially Written: 2.22.2009]
[See All Related Post]