A L M A C I A S

WHO IS A GOOD FAMILY MAN?

As we go through the scriptures and we study the characters of different men, we find throughout the Bible some who revealed the kind of men they were by how they treated their families. Beginning with the book of beginnings, we find time after time that the good influence of a man had a great effect on the way that the family as a whole turned out. We do not have too much information as to how Adam treated his sons and daughters, and we do not have information as to how his sons treated their families, until we get to Noah. We learn that Noah walked with the Lord and was a man of righteousness, not only he but all of his family. For one to have his entire family walking after the Lord, does not happen by coincidence or by accident. The influence of good parents (mothers as well as fathers) plays a major role in what kind of family one will have. It is possible that some will turn out to be good people in spite of having had terrible parents, but that is normally the exception.

If we were to ask the common man who they consider a good family man, how would they describe him? Perhaps some would say that a good family man was one who sacrifices all to provide for his family. Others might say that a good family man would be one who would let his children do whatever their sweet hearts desired. We are living in the '90s, as some would say. This is what the common man would say, but what does God say is the good family man? The Lord says that a good family man is one who will do all he can to show his family the way to Heaven. We read in the book of Genesis of several men who we would have to say were good family men. One would be Noah, who not only managed to walk with the Lord, but who influenced all his family to do likewise. Another good family man that we find in the book of Genesis was Abraham, of whom the Lord said the following: "For I know him, that he will command his children and his household after him, and they shall keep the way of the Lord, to do justice and judgement, that the Lord may bring upon Abraham that which he hath spoken of him." The Lord had told Abraham that in him all nations would be blessed and so they were.

What kind of family men are we? We, as husbands and fathers, have a tremendous responsibility to our families not only to provide for them as best as we possibly can, but we have an even higher responsibility to them to show them, not just by word but by example, the way to Heaven. Let us strive to be like Noah and Abraham ­ the salvation of our families depend on it.