stephen R Harrison

My son, pay attention to what I say; turn your ear to my words. -Proverbs 4:20

“Son, back in my day…”  That’s a phrase I heard my dad say a thousand times. I heard it often at the beginning of what I thought at the time were boring old-person stories. Oh, to listen to him tell a story one more time! Now that I’ve said phrases like those to my kids hundreds of times, those stories don’t seem so dull or old. After all, the older I get, the less I feel like my age is old. My dad would say phrases like that when it came to literally everything. 

When I was learning to drive, he would remind me how much more well-built the cars were and that he and his brothers and sisters never had their own vehicle as they walked to school, uphill, both ways, in the snow, even in the dead of summer. He would also tell me how much cheaper the gas was per gallon – like pennies. When it came to money, he would tell me how little he got paid at his first job and about Depression-era grandparents who knew the value of a dollar. He would tell me about his work ethic as a kid, having to drop out of school to help support his family, working the family farm, and about what little “play time” they had with all the mouths to feed and gardens to tend. He would tell me all kinds of stories but, in the process, teach me all sorts of truths. This was especially true concerning the things of the Lord. He would sit in my room with me and memorize Scripture, read Bible stories, and talk about applying God’s Word to every area of my life. He would demonstrate his faith in the Lord in his marriage, parenting, manhood, and all aspects of life. He was my wise mentor. He was a spiritual father. Every man needs one.

In Proverbs 4, Solomon uses the phrase, “Listen my son” several times as he directs his readers to get wisdom (1, 10, 20). He even recalled when his dad, David, did the same thing for him (3-4). Solomon understood the importance of having a mentor in the faith. While his was his father, yours can be any father-figure in the faith you admire. We all need a spiritual father speaking truth and wisdom into our lives. Every godly man should have a godly man they can look to for advice and receive correction from. Paul reminds us of this in 2 Timothy 2:2 when he said, “And the things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses entrust to reliable people who will also be qualified to teach others.” 

In 1 Corinthians 4:14-17, Paul demonstrated the importance of spiritual fathers and mentors by saying, “I am writing this not to shame you but to warn you as my dear children. Even if you had ten thousand guardians in Christ, you do not have many fathers, for in Christ Jesus I became your father through the gospel. Therefore, I urge you to imitate me. For this reason, I have sent to you Timothy, my son whom I love, who is faithful in the Lord. He will remind you of my way of life in Christ Jesus, which agrees with what I teach everywhere in every church.” The gospel demands we have spiritual fathers and get spiritual sons – that’s discipleship! We grow in faith as we imitate others who imitate Jesus (1 Corinthians 11:1). Seek out a spiritual father today! Invest in a spiritual son! In doing so, we will be and make disciples and become the men God desires. 

Questions to Ponder

Who is a spiritual father to you? Your spiritual son(s)?

How has spiritual fathering affected your life?

What verse stands out the most to you?

What other questions came to mind?

Actions to Take

Write down the top three qualities you believe a spiritual father must possess.

What does the spiritual father in Proverbs 4 model or attempt to impart to his spiritual son?

Scriptures to Read

Proverbs 1:8, 3:11-12, 6:20-22, 19:27, 24:21, 31:2

Prayers to Pray

Father, thank you for calling me your son. I need your wisdom, which comes through your Word and the right counselors. Help me seek out spiritual fathers who will love and shape me with the truth of your Word. Help me pass on what I learn and apply by being a spiritual father to others.