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One teen who missed her father said, “My heart hurts because there is no one to care, no one to love me.” Experts say children who grow up without theirs fathers often turn to drugs, alcohol, sex, robbery, and even suicide or murder—in their efforts to get rid of the pain of not having a dad to love and provide for them. Sons need fathers for spiritual counsel and guidance. Fathers provide children their first image and understanding of God. In Scripture, we read of both good and bad fathers. From 2 Kings, Chapter 15, we learn that King Uzziah was a model for his son, Jotham. By following in his father’s footsteps, and learning from his dad’s mistakes, Jotham turned out well. As a result, God gave him wisdom to lead his nation. The text says, he “grew powerful because he walked steadfastly before the LORD his God.” Charles Kettering would later say, “Every father should remember that one day his son will follow his example instead of his advice.” We all know of situations where despite an absent father, a child turns our well, or where with a good father, a child turns out badly. Still, evidence shows that children who grow up with caring fathers are more likely to succeed than those who don’t—especially when those fathers model spiritual values, and reflect faith and love toward God.
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