A Letter from Your Dad-to-Be
Dear Jack,
As I write this, we’re about 4 months away from your arrival, and I’ll be honest: it freaks me out a little bit.
That’s not to say I’m not excited to meet you, Little Man! I can’t wait!
But while the nickname “Little Man” makes you sound crazy-adorable, it also hints at a huge job on our part as parents.
We’re not just raising you as a baby - we’re training and guiding a little man. And as your father, there’s just a teeny bit more pressure on me to make sure you turn out right.
There are plenty of lessons I want to teach you, from holding the door open for women to not being afraid to make mistakes. However, the most important things you need to know come straight from God’s Word.
Every passage in The Bible has something for you, even if you don’t see it on the surface. Here’s one example:
As Jesus was walking beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon called Peter and his brother Andrew. They were casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen. ‘Come, follow me,’ Jesus said, ‘and I will send you out to fish for people.’ At once they left their nets and followed him. - Matthew 4:18-20
Under the surface of this story is a really important lesson for you to learn as a Christian. Notice how Jesus approaches fishermen and says, “Follow me, and you’ll fish for people”?
He doesn’t say, “Follow me, and you’ll never have to fish again.”
He doesn’t say, “Follow me, and I’ll show you the path to happiness.”
Jesus comes right out and says: “Hey guys, I want you to be my followers. But just so you know, it’s still going to be work.”
And that’s a real truth that everyone in this world needs to know: being a Christian is work.
Jack, every day this world makes it a little harder to be a Christian. While you’re here, you’re going to hear a bunch of really inaccurate “lessons” that people will try to push on you, like: “Everyone should be happy” or “Everyone’s free to believe what they want”.
They’re wrong. Life isn’t about just being happy and doing whatever you want. God doesn’t say He just wants you to be happy. He wants you to be a faithful Christian - and that means you have to work at it.
Don’t think this means you’re going to be miserable. God knew you would need a break from the work, so He loaded this world with a bunch of things that are going to make you smile.
But everyone will get kicked around by the world, and those who only chase “happiness” are going to have a hard time handling it - and that’s when bad things happen. If you know that life will be hard sometimes, you’ll know how to handle it when it hits you.
But the beautiful part is this: you’ve got God in your corner. And fortunately, He laid it all out for you in His Word. He knows exactly what problems you’re going to deal with, and that means He knows how to help you.
Life is hard. It’s doubly hard if you’re a Christian. But let God’s Word guide you, and you’ll be fine - and that’s the real secret of being truly happy in this world.
And don’t forget to hold the door open for the ladies, Little Man. They love it.
Love,
Your Father
Tom Meitner met his wife, Amanda, in high school after accidentally spraining her jaw. They fell in love years later and have been married for 3 years. They are expecting their first child in late September. (And her jaw is okay now.) Tom provides road maps and life hacks for the post-grad man every week in CuffLinked Magazine (http://cufflinkedmag.com). You can also follow him on Twitter (http://twitter.com/TomMeitner).