Footprints For Our Kids

On a snowy Sunday morning, my pre-teen son and I went to church early. I parked in the back of the lot, far from the building, and my son followed me across the snow-covered lot.

From behind I heard him say, "Hey, Dad, I'm following in your footsteps!" I looked behind to see that he was stepping carefully into each footprint I had made.

Playfully, I started walking erratically. A quick step to the side, followed by a huge jump forward, then a lunge in the other direction. From behind I heard the grunts of my son, still trying to match my every step as he leapt from each footprint to the next.

In that moment I thought about the footprints we leave for our children. If they "follow in our footsteps," are we leaving steps that are easy to follow, and that will lead them to good places?

Fellow fathers, are we walking the path to the Cross, so they can see what genuine faith in Jesus Christ looks like? Are we demonstrating how to follow paths of integrity, honesty, kindness, and love? Or are our footsteps leading to some places we know we should not go, and we do not want them to go either?

Let's leave footprints for our kids that help guide them in the right ways. The Good Shepherd "leads me in paths of righteousness" (Psalm 23:3). I pray that He helps me to lead my children in righteous paths, and, fellow father, I pray that He helps you too.