Lesson 4 - Leading in Meeting Family Needs

Starting a home usually requires considerable setup cost –a place to live, furnishings for the house, etc. Then there are ongoing needs of keeping up a house, putting food on the table, medical bills, and vehicle expenses. Children come to you very helpless and need everything done for them. Besides the basic needs of living, they bring their own unique needs for love, attention, development, and spiritual care. Your spouses have needs that you must meet as well. They need love, attention, and time to talk about issues they face. They look for answers and stability from their husband. Then there are the social needs of a family that need careful direction. Relationships within the family, with your relatives, and with people at parish and school, all bring challenges at times that you must find your way through. This list of needs is not exhaustive, but it can look overwhelming to a Father at times. God has answers for you and help to guide you in life’s difficult times.

Material Needs:

1Timothy 5:8 But if any man have not care of his own relatives, and especially of those of his house, he hath denied the faith, and is worse than an infidel.

Under normal circumstances, God expects you to provide for your own relatives. Refusing to take responsibility for your home, or choosing the road of laziness and neglect has stiff condemnation for such a person.

What might be some legitimate cases where a father is not able to financially provide for his own?

Proverbs 6:6-11 Go to the ant, O sluggard, and consider her ways, and learn wisdom: Which, although she hath no guide, nor master, nor captain, Provideth her meat for herself in the summer, and gathereth her food in the harvest. How long wilt thou sleep, O sluggard? when wilt thou rise out of thy sleep? Thou wilt sleep a little, thou wilt slumber a little, thou wilt fold thy hands a little to sleep: And want shall come upon thee, as a traveller, and poverty as a man armed.

Proverbs 10:4 The slothful hand hath wrought poverty: but the hand of the industrious getteth riches.

Proverbs 13:4 The sluggard willeth and willeth not: but the soul of them that work, shall be made fat.

Proverbs 12:24 The hand of the diligent shall bear rule: but that which is slothful, shall be under tribute.

List some traits found in men who are able providers.

Proverbs 12:27 The slothful man roasteth not that which he took in hunting: but the substance of a diligent man is precious.

How does frugal living benefit a family?

Proverbs 23:3 The prudent man foresees the evil, and hid himself: the simple passed on, and suffered loss.

List some ways a prudent man looks ahead and prepares for what inevitably lies ahead in family life.

Matthew 6:33 Seek ye therefore first the kingdom of God, and his justice, and all these things shall be added unto you.

Proverbs 3:5 Have confidence in the Lord with all thy heart, and lean not upon thy own prudence.

How do you find the balance between prudence (avoiding over commitment) and trust in God (allowing Him to give you responsibility you could not handle on your own.

Emotional and Social Needs

I Corinthians 7:33 But he that is with a wife, cares for the things of the world, how he may please his wife: and he is divided.

Colossians 3:19 Husbands, love your wives, and be not bitter towards them.

Ephesians 5:25 Husbands, love your wives, as Christ also loved the church, and delivered himself up for it:

Ephesians 5:28 So also ought men to love their wives as their own bodies. He that loveth his wife, loveth himself.

Ephesians 5:33 Nevertheless let every one of you in particular love his wife as himself: and let the wife reverence her husband.

What are some needs parents might expect in the development of infants?
What are some ways a father can show love and care for his wife and family?
How does communication benefit relationships in the home?
Why is it that communication sometimes breaks down in the middle of working through a problem?

Ephesians 4:32 And be ye kind one to another; tenderhearted, merciful, forgiving one another, even as God hath forgiven you in Christ.

Colossians 3:12 Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering; Bearing with one another, and forgiving one another, if any have a complaint or quarrel against another: even as the Lord hath forgiven you, so do you also.

Relationships are so very important in life. Family relationships go with us through all of life. Yet at times we struggle with having good relationships with those who are closest to us. In our carnal moments, we can sometimes be hurtful to our family.

What connection does our relationship with your children have to your influence in their lives?
List some practical things a father can do to better understand his spouse or children with different personalities.
List some proper responses when children make mistakes, even foolish mistakes.
Should fathers make a difference between a mistake in his child’s manners and in willful disobedience?