part 5, Notes from the book Point Man: How a Man Can Lead His Family, by Steve Farrar

In chapter eight, titled “The Birth of a Tangent,” Farrar speaks to the issue of having a baby versus other big “accomplishments” in life. He writes, “Some guys head their own corporations by age thirty-five. Big deal. Some guys win five gold medals at the Olympics. Big deal. Some guys climb Mount Everest. Big deal. Some guys swim the length of the Pacific under water without taking a breath. Big deal. In my book, none of those exploits come close to the man who has learned to change a dirty diaper without throwing up. That’s what I call a big deal . . . It’s also what Jesus called being a servant.” (196-197). I will add to that: it’s what I call accepting responsibility. And, some people might read this and say ‘well, you’re marginalizing the big achievements in life to make a point about having a child.’ To that I say this: I just earned a Ph.D. in December. It pales in comparison to raising my own child in the discipline and instruction of the Lord. My “achievement” could never produce even something seemingly as small as what happened yesterday morning. My four year old grabbed a book off my study bookshelf, sat in the floor and said she had her Bible book. She began to talk as if she was teaching someone else and said “Now, 2 Corinthians 2:9 says . . .” She didn’t quote the verse (although she can quote multiple Bible verses), and I don’t even know how she knew to say “2 Cor. 2:9,” because I certainly haven’t mentioned that book. My point is, I agree with Farrar, no “achievement” in this life is anything compared to the ministry in my home, raising the next generation to fear God and exalt Christ. Additionally, as we went out the door to lunch yesterday, this same four-year old daughter asked for her own Bible, I gave her one, and she tucked in under her arm and marched out the door . . . Men, this brings up another issue: children “catch” how you live. Taking your kids to church on Sunday morning is not enough. We have to model. To be able to, and to actually implement, influencing the next generation for Jesus – that’s a big deal.