FATHERS & KNOWLEDGE (PT. 1)
The first proverb was written by Solomon, the son of David, king of Israel. Of course, it is a fact that Solomon was the wisest man ever to live. However, even though he was wise beyond measure, he still struggled with the practical realities of life. In short, his weakness was used by the enemy against him. Every man, regardless of how smart or anointed he may be, will struggle with the fundamental understanding of manhood—or who he is. Solomon, in Proverbs chapter 1, verses 5 – 7, pens these words:
“A wise man will hear and increase in learning. And a man of understanding will attain wise counsel. To understand a proverb and an enigma (something hard to understand) The words of the wise and their riddles. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, But fools despise wisdom and instructions.”
One of the greatest challenges faced by every human being is that of understanding. The word, understand, is defined as “the power of comprehending.” The word, comprehend, refers to the ability “to grasp the nature, significance or meaning of.” God created everything with a purpose. God created everything with the intent that it would bring Him glory. For the created thing to bring God glory, it would have to fulfill His purpose for creating it. When it comes to an understanding from the Father’s perspective, it always demands more than knowledge. Any person who understands the heart of God concerning their purpose must operate in revelation. Put another way, their knowledge or understanding comes to them by God through the Holy Spirit. John, in his Gospel, refers to the Holy Spirit this way:
“However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come.”
The role of the Holy Spirit is to reveal the truth. The Holy Spirit represents the Source of truth! God alone is knowledgeable of all truth. God is truth, and His truth frees or liberates mankind to fulfill their purpose for living. Please note that Solomon speaks consistently about knowledge and understanding. Men need to understand their purpose. A man who lacks understanding of his purpose will struggle to be a husband. Likewise, a man who struggles with being a husband will also grapple with fatherhood. The point made is that in that same man is a husband and a father, but it will take revelation for him to become what God placed in him. Every boy will grow into manhood, but that does not mean he has become a man. Everything male is not a man, and everything old is not mature.
Dr. Myles Munroe clarifies this revelation for everyone. He writes in his book titled The Principle of Fatherhood, the following statement: “All of mankind’s problems are a result of one major dilemma. What’s this dilemma? Possession without understanding; assignment without instruction; resources without knowledge; having everything but not knowing why. Essentially, the dilemma is that we lack understanding. Without understanding, life is an experiment, and frustration is the reward.” (pg. 22) Many men are lost when it comes to an understanding of the purpose of manhood. As a result, we witness the consequences of this reality in the lives of wives, mothers, sons, and daughters. The statistics validate the fact that there is a fatherhood challenge. Every father must understand what it means to be a man. Likewise, every husband must realize what it means to be a man. If the man does not understand his identity or his purpose, he will struggle with comprehending the role and purpose of a husband or a father. The challenge of being a man in today’s culture is staggering. However, this is only the beginning because it also has an impact on every husband and every father. The rippling effects are numerous, and no one is exempt from the price they are required to pay.