1 Timothy 1:5 reminds us that the godly dad has a heart changed by God. We are called to let God’s Word shape us in three ways.

#1 Lead with a pure heart. “The aim of our charge is love that issues from a pure heart…” Scripture describes the heart as your mind, thoughts, emotions, and motives. In other words, it’s your control dashboard. Your influence doesn’t really start with words; it starts with your heart.

Your kids experience whatever fills YOUR heart. If your heart is full of pride, anger, or selfish ambition, you’ll shape your home by those things. A pure heart doesn’t mean a perfect heart; it means a heart given over to God. Love from a pure heart means love like Christ’s love: sacrificial.

#2 Live with a good conscience. “…and a good conscience…” Having a good conscience requires having an inner awareness, a connection between what you say and what you do. A good conscience is built over time by consistently living by God’s truth. So knowing God’s Word is a priority.

Your children notice when your life matches your words. They also notice when you’re humble enough to apologize when you make a mistake. Admitting fault has a way of clearing your conscience and building trust in your home.

#3 Model a sincere faith. “…and a sincere faith.” Your kids need to see faith reach beyond Sunday. They need to see your faith on Monday morning and Thursday night. Real faith reveals your trust in God and shapes your decisions. You believe God’s Word even when it’s tough. You don’t pretend to have everything together; you depend on God. You look for His Word to speak, you listen to Him, and you try to do what’s right.

Before your children listen, or ever remember your advice, they’ll remember whether your faith was real. A real walk with God is the single greatest thing you can leave behind.

Understanding What Your Child Is Feeling: For dads, protecting and providing tends to come naturally. Connecting emotionally with their kids, however, is a different challenge entirely and one every dad should take seriously.

1 Timothy For Dads – Week 2: Week two of our 1 Timothy series landed us in one of the most debated passages in Scripture. Lawson and I talked about how to study it with humility and explored topics like how we should respond to church authority.

“Faith does not eliminate questions. But faith knows where to take them.” —Elisabeth Elliot

Your goal should be to operate outta love. Paul once explained to Timothy that the words of false teachers are empty. God wants to shape you and your words. If you follow Him, your words to your wife and kids won’t be empty. They’ll be trustworthy.

As God changes your heart, your family experiences the love that ultimately points them to Him. Ask God for help in examining your heart before correcting your kids. Ask Him to reveal selfish motives, unconfessed sin, or places where your walk with Him has grown dull.

The greatest thing your children will learn isn’t what you say about God. It’s what you do, who you’re becoming, because you walk with Him.

Kent Evans
Executive Director at Manhood Journey

P.S. Was this Mountain Monday helpful? Tell me if you love it, hate it, or if there’s something you’d like in the next one.

Forward this to a dad you know who needs some encouragement.