- Mar 13, 2006
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We all love our mothers, and rightfully so. It's no surprise that when Mother's Day rolls around, the media and the church trump up this day of importance, often weeks in advance, touting the virtue and importance of a mother. Advertisements speak of expensive gifts to buy mom. Sermons talk about the love, patience, and nurturing nature of a mother. Her utmost being is praised, it seems, speaking of her generosity, her selfless acts, and her unconditional love. She is a woman to be admired and honored.
Yet, when Father's Day rolls around, it is a much different story. While advertisers may roll out commercials to commemorate this day, rarely is it met with calls to purchase expensive gifts for dad. Usually it's something small and inexpensive, such as a tie. The greatest tragedy, however, is the way the church reacts to Father's Day, in my opinion. Sermon after sermon, from church to church, all across the country, are filled with shaming language. In a large percentage of churches, very little is said of dad's patience, his unconditional love, his generosity, and how our fathers have played positive roles in our lives.
No, unfortunately, most sermons are filled with shaming language. Sermons that speak of what dad is not doing, how dad's aren't in the home. How many dads are "dead-beats". How fathers are not spending time with their children. How fathers are lazy, watching television on the couch and not doing a thing. Simultaneously, in many of these discussions, mothers are often invoked, in a so-called joking manner, as to provide an alternative character, one who apparently has it together.
Even on this one day, a day to honor fathers, it seems apparent that many can't speak of men and fathers in a positive way. It's always turned around on men, in a way to denounce them for not doing enough. It can't be that men are simply honored in a positive manner just on this one day. While there are fathers who need to "step-up-to-the-plate", Father's Day is not the time for such sermons. There are fifty one other weeks in the year in which such a sermon could be preached. Likewise, women and mothers should also be called to "step-up-to-the-plate", as not all women and mothers are vituous, but certainly Mother's Day isn't the day to do such.
The way people react differently to Mother's Day as opposed to Father's Day, is also seen throughout other church settings such as men's conferences and women's conferences. At the men's conference, a man often gets an earload of shaming language, about how he needs to be a better man for his wife and children. Certainly, this should be a component to any men's conference, or at least a break-out session at such a conference, but it should be done in a respectful manner, not to berate men, but to encourage them. Likewise, women's conferences should call women to be better wives. Unfortunately, at least seen from televised women's conferences, not much is said of women "stepping up". the largest emphasis at a women's conference is pleasing God and becoming the person God wants you to be.
Do any of you notice the vast differences in the ways that people react to Mother's Day as opposed to Father's Day? Do you notice the differences in the ways men are "called to the carpet", but subsequently, women are given a pass?
Yet, when Father's Day rolls around, it is a much different story. While advertisers may roll out commercials to commemorate this day, rarely is it met with calls to purchase expensive gifts for dad. Usually it's something small and inexpensive, such as a tie. The greatest tragedy, however, is the way the church reacts to Father's Day, in my opinion. Sermon after sermon, from church to church, all across the country, are filled with shaming language. In a large percentage of churches, very little is said of dad's patience, his unconditional love, his generosity, and how our fathers have played positive roles in our lives.
No, unfortunately, most sermons are filled with shaming language. Sermons that speak of what dad is not doing, how dad's aren't in the home. How many dads are "dead-beats". How fathers are not spending time with their children. How fathers are lazy, watching television on the couch and not doing a thing. Simultaneously, in many of these discussions, mothers are often invoked, in a so-called joking manner, as to provide an alternative character, one who apparently has it together.
Even on this one day, a day to honor fathers, it seems apparent that many can't speak of men and fathers in a positive way. It's always turned around on men, in a way to denounce them for not doing enough. It can't be that men are simply honored in a positive manner just on this one day. While there are fathers who need to "step-up-to-the-plate", Father's Day is not the time for such sermons. There are fifty one other weeks in the year in which such a sermon could be preached. Likewise, women and mothers should also be called to "step-up-to-the-plate", as not all women and mothers are vituous, but certainly Mother's Day isn't the day to do such.
The way people react differently to Mother's Day as opposed to Father's Day, is also seen throughout other church settings such as men's conferences and women's conferences. At the men's conference, a man often gets an earload of shaming language, about how he needs to be a better man for his wife and children. Certainly, this should be a component to any men's conference, or at least a break-out session at such a conference, but it should be done in a respectful manner, not to berate men, but to encourage them. Likewise, women's conferences should call women to be better wives. Unfortunately, at least seen from televised women's conferences, not much is said of women "stepping up". the largest emphasis at a women's conference is pleasing God and becoming the person God wants you to be.
Do any of you notice the vast differences in the ways that people react to Mother's Day as opposed to Father's Day? Do you notice the differences in the ways men are "called to the carpet", but subsequently, women are given a pass?
