I am a Judge’s son. Growing up, I was the cute little blond haired kid campaigning on your doorstep and stuttering in a high voice, “Hi. P-P-Please vote for my Dad.”
I was so proud to be my father’s son. To this day I take full credit for my Dad getting elected all those years.
Regardless of your “Dad” experience growing up, someone along the way worked hard to provide for you. Growing up, I took my Dad for granted. The older I get, the more thankful I am for his diligence and sacrifice.
He was a provider.
The Apostle Paul states boldly, “Anyone who does not provide for their relatives, and especially for their own household, has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.” (1 Timothy 5:8)
Now, before we take this verse out back and hope to never hear from it again, consider this: God wants us to provide for our family and holds believers to a higher standard than those outside the faith. Working hard and coming up short is one thing, but being lazy while our family “starves” is NOT a Godly example to unbelievers.
To quote the great philosopher P. Diddy, it’s ok to be “all about the Benjamins.” God smiles when we put food on the table, clothes in the closet, and money in the accounts. However, being a provider is so much more than bringing home the bacon. It’s so much more than paying for nice houses, vacations, and private schools. It’s so much more than just being a cog in the wheel of life.
In the original Greek, “provide” here is pronoeo, meaning “to make preparations in order to meet a need”, “to care for’’ and “to take thought of”. Seems to me the meaning is much broader than just the monetary.*
What if we cared more about filling the hearts of our family than filling the accounts of our bank? Maybe it’s more about what we leave IN our family, than what we leave FOR our family. After all, one is an eternal investment with permanent returns while the other is an earthly investment with temporary returns.
I don’t know about you, but this broader meaning of a “provider” takes the pressure off to try to “keep up with the Jones’.” You see, God wants us to provide for our families in the same way He provides for us.
With presence. With perseverance. With prudence.
#1. He provides presence. God isn’t a distant, disengaged Father who hides behind a busy schedule. While He may be busy, He is never too hurried to be with His family. He realizes the greatest gift He can give His kids is simply His presence. He is the kind of Dad who is fully present and in the moment. He’s not distracted by emails, texts, or the latest news feed. Our Heavenly Father is slow to speak, quick to listen, and is content to just be with His kids. A “present” provider’s identity isn’t wrapped up in their job, but rather in their family. (Joshua 1:9)
#2. He provides perseverance. God isn’t a passive Father who remains silent when He needs to speak up or gives up when He needs to step up. When storms come, His humble yet confident perseverance rubs off on His kids, inspiring us to seek refuge not in this world, but in His Word. Like God, a “persevering” provider has grit, resolve, and a willingness to endure for the sake of their family. (Thessalonians 3:5)
#3. He provides prudence. God isn’t the kind of Dad driven by instant gratification and whatever feels good in the moment. While He is fully present, He also leads with prudence and is wise about planning our future. Faced with a decision, a “prudent” provider keeps the end in mind and asks, “Will this grow or slow my relationship with my kids? Will this help or hinder their relationship with the Heavenly Father?” (Romans 11:33)
So may we provide for our family the way our Heavenly Father provides for us: with presence, perseverance, and prudence.
May we trust in a God who provided His perfect Son so we didn’t have to live a perfect life.
And may we stutter our way through life, inspiring others to vote for our “Dad”.
* http://www.biblestudytools.com/lexicons/greek/kjv/pronoeo.html