Be Present

Psalm 68:¹⁹ “Praise the Lord! Every day he helps us with the loads we must carry. He is the God who saves us” (ERV).

The role of a father is very crucial. It takes a father and a mother for a child to be nurtured perfectly and completely. However, over the next few days, we will focus on fathers because it is father’s month. The role of fathers in the life of children is so pivotal. I came across some statistics that I want to share with you, and they are totally mind-blowing.

• 85% of all children who show behavior disorders come from fatherless homes – 20 times the national average.  (Source: Center for Disease Control).
• 80% of rapists with anger problems come from fatherless homes – 14 times the average.  (Source: Justice & Behavior, Vol 14, p. 403-26)
• 90% of all homeless and runaway children are from fatherless homes – 32 times the national average.
• 71% of all high school dropouts come from fatherless homes – 9 times the national average.  (Source: National Principals Association Report)
• Children with Fathers who are involved are 70% less likely to drop out of school.

In other words, children with fathers who can tell them to shut down their devices and focus on their homework. Children whose fathers put their arms around them and show them love.

• Children with Fathers who are involved are more likely to get A’s in school.

So, it is not only intelligence that determines the A’s. No wonder there is so much attack on fathers, so much attack to make homes fatherless. And it is because when you remove the father, you destroy the children. When you destroy the children, you have destroyed the next generation and the next one after it.

• 75% of all adolescent patients in chemical abuse centers come from fatherless homes – 10 times the national average.
• 85% of all youths in prison come from fatherless homes – 20 times the national average.  (Source: Fulton Co. Georgia, Texas Dept. of Correction)
• Fatherless boys and girls are twice as likely to drop out of high school; twice as likely to end up in jail; four times more likely to need help for emotional or behavioral problems. [Source: US D.H.H.S. news release, March 26, 1999].

Prayer: Father, today I bring fathers to You, and I ask that You strengthen and help them with the load they must carry, in Jesus Name. Amen!