Dad-You've Got Many Hats to Wear

Noah Olson
Jun 23
6 min read

Fathers are important. God's Son always talked of His father, it was fatherhood that God chose to identify as with His children, and throughout His holy Word, He speaks numerously about fathers (The words “father” and “fathers” occur over 1,600 times in the Bible). God must love dads.

I don’t know about you, but my dad owns a LOT of hats. He loves them and sometimes will get new ones in different places he goes. He has golfing hats, work hats, and a few college hats. It is a common thing for dads to like wearing hats. Hats are a common staples of dads, but more importantly, dads wear other kinds of hats that portray their true fatherhood. We often say “he or she wears many hats” to describe the various roles that one may have in life, job, or church—dads wear many hats as a father, and sometimes we may be too busy to see the specific hats that they wear that God has given them. We are thankful for fathers who wear these hats—what are they?

Fathers Wear a Captain’s Hat. Fathers are familial leaders. God fathers are to be the leaders of the home, not mothers or children. In fact, fathers NEED to be the leader of the home, else they harm themselves, their wives and children. Like a captain of an army, fathers guide their families against the foes of this world and provide for their well-being. In fact, he also will die for his “troops” seeing that is what His Savior did for him (Ephesians 5:25). Joshua said that he would be right along side his family serving God (Joshua 24:14-15) and Job took the responsibility to sacrifice for his children (Job 1:5). Fathers will be the spiritual leaders of their family, only if they are willing to walk that way themselves. Only after Abraham was known to follow in God’s paths first did God say, “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 judgment; that the LORD may bring upon Abraham that which he hath spoken of him” (Genesis 18:19, emp. mine, NO). Charles Spurgeon said, “Train up a child in the way he should go—but be sure you go that way yourself.” Clarence Budington Kelland stated, “My father didn’t tell me how to live; he lived, and let me watch him do it.” Billy Sunday rightly observed, “Be careful, father, or while you are taking one lap around the devil’s track your boy will make six.” A father must be careful to be on his best at all times, seeing he has a whole army behind him. “A young pastor in Ohio also worked at a feed processing plant in order to make ends meet. Each night when he went home, his boys would look at him and say, “Boy, Dad, you sure are dusty!” He would grumble to himself, but then smile and say, “Yes, I sure am dusty.” One Saturday morning, as he was washing his car, he looked over and saw his oldest son, 4 years old at that time, begin to pick up small stones from the driveway and rub them onto his pants. The father asked, “What are you doing?” “I want to be dusty like you dad,” came the reply.”[1] This hat alone makes fatherhood a great responsibility—we are thankful for fathers that lead.

Fathers Wear a Teacher’s Hat. Fathers can be a child’s first teacher. How many of us have learned the hard lessons of life from our father’s instruction. A father’s instruction is so essential to a child’s upbringing. God did not call schools or the church to do it—He tasked parents with this responsibility. The Psalmist wrote “For he established a testimony in Jacob, and appointed a law in Israel, which he commanded our fathers, that they should make them known to their children: That the generation to come might know them, even the children which should be born; who should arise and declare them to their children” (Psalm 78:5-6). To the Ephesians Paul told fathers, “And, ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord” (Ephesians 6:4). Fathers must teach and they do so by their words, their life, and even discipline (Proverbs 19:18). He places heavy emphasis on his words seeing they are full of godly wisdom: “Hear, ye children, the instruction of a father, and attend to know understanding. For I give you good doctrine, forsake ye not my law. For I was my father's son, tender and only beloved in the sight of my mother. He taught me also, and said unto me, Let thine heart retain my words: keep my commandments, and live” (Proverbs 4:1-4). A father only has 18 years to raise a child—he should make the most of every moment. What should he teach?

Teach them how to love God. This should be lesson number one.
Teach them how to love others. Show them how to treat their enemies, give them an example on how to treat one curses them, and instruct them on how to give with their heart to the needy.
Teach them how to love themselves. Tell them how valuable they are, how much God loves them, and how much they can accomplish in this world. Express your appreciation for them, do not compare them; acknowledge that they are worth something because God created them.

Every present lesson molds children into who they will be in the future. We are thankful for fathers who teach.

Fathers Wear a Hard Hat. A father’s main role is a provider—this is divinely instituted. Dads are to be hard-working laborers in order for their families to feel comfortable and secure. It are the parents that lay up for the children—not the other way around (2 Corinthians 12:14). Failure to do this results in major eternal penalties (1 Timothy 5:8). Some may have to take on a second job so that their families can be secure. We are thankful for fathers that put in the work so we can feel safe and supported.

Fathers Wear a Cowboy Hat. Fathers are not only providers for the family—they are to be engaged in the achievements, dreams, and every day lives of their children. A child should expect his father to play cowboys and Indians at home, not to be bitter after walking through the door (Colossians 3:21). Good fathers are NOT like Charles Francis Adams, who when fishing with his son one day wrote in his journal “Went fishing with my son today—a day wasted.”[2] In fact, one study suggested that “boys with more involved dads are 13 percentage points less likely to get in trouble at school for behavioral or learning problems, compared to their peers with less engaged dads.”[3]How can fathers have fun with their children and be involved in their lives:

Play NOW, not later. One wrote “I once asked my daughter Jennifer what she thought were the biggest problems fathers have with kids. She said, ‘Dads have too many ‘tomorrows.’ You know, ‘I’ll play with you tomorrow, I’ll talk to you tomorrow.’”[4] Take advantage of the NOWS so you can later ponder the past.
Listen to their words. “Teens tell me that they want desperately to be able to talk with their dads, but they’ll stop trying if they think they aren’t being heard.”[5] What if our Heavenly Father did not care to hear us?
Spend quality time with each child. Take each child to his or her favorite restaurant or activity. Make it personal and connectable.

Good fathers are not workaholics—they know when to balance work and family time. We are thankful for fathers who know how to have fun.

Fathers are important parts of families. Solomon wrote that “the glory of children are their fathers” (Proverbs 17:6). One poem reads

“A dad is a mender of toys,

A leader of boys.

He's a changer of fuses,

A healer of bruises

He's a mover of couches,

A soother of ouches.

He's a pounder of nails,

A teller of tales.He's a dryer of dishes,

A fulfiller of wishes

Bless him, O Lord.”