5 Mistakes Godly Dads Avoid or OvercomeSample

Mistake #2: Only praising results

When I was 12 years old, during a practice, a guy hit the ball and it came ripping by me. I didn’t try as hard as I should, reasoning, it was only during a practice. I’m over 50 years old now, and I can still feel the emotion of what happened in that moment. My coach was not so concerned about me making every single catch, but he was super-concerned about my effort on every single play. There’s a lesson in there somewhere.

First Corinthians 9:24, Paul wrote, “Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one receives the prize? So run that you may obtain it.” Paul wasn’t talking about being a good shortstop, he was explaining what makes a faithful follower. You won’t win every race, but you should try every single time.

Praise your son or daughter for their effort, not just for their results.

As a dad leading children, try not to let them get too hung up on whether they catch every ball. Instead, see if they are practicing in a way so they’ll be ready come gametime. In this world, winning seems to be the only thing that matters. Let’s not make this mistake.

Encourage your son for his effort rather than only when he succeeds. Praise your daughter for the way she prepared or hustled, even if the results don’t go her way. Look for ways to applaud your wife even when things go awry. Encourage the effort. Remember, as a dad, God isn’t judging how many perfect days you string together. Rather, He cares more about how you handle yourself. Be the dad who leads by example and understands that ultimately, you play how you practice, on and off the field.