Daddy in Heaven

Something happened at home yesterday that immediately convicted me in such a profound way that I could not escape the thought.  It was made painfully obvious to me that I was not reacting and leading my children in a Godly manner.  The premise God gave me is that our impression of God as Father is largely influenced by our earthly fathers.  The ways we understand God as Father can either be hindered or helped by our earthly fathers.  So it struck me.  Do I approach my responsibility to display God as Father to my kids as a burden, or a blessing.  Do I "have to" or do I "get to."  The difference is entirely in my approach.  The idea is not to have to live up to this perfect image of Dad, though I am indeed imperfect.  It is that I am a servant, of God, of my wife, of my children.  So I get to ask myself, based on what His word says, how God might respond to me in the same situation.  I can't fool myself to think that the things my children do are isolated to their behavior.  I behave the same way just in different environments.  How does God handle me when I disobey, when I act out, when I disrespect Him?  I get to show the kids not how good a father I am, but how good a daddy they have in heaven.  Amen!