The godly dad serves others. We know that Jesus came to serve, not be served. Philippians 2:3-4 says, Do nothing out of selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. Many of us tend to serve from one of three basic places: duty, devotion, or delight. When we serve out of DUTY, we serve begrudgingly—because we have to. When we serve from a place of DEVOTION, we serve because we care about the other person—because we choose to. When we serve from a heart of DELIGHT, we look forward to serving—because we get to serve. How do you serve most times? Does your wife and kids have to ask you 100X to pitch in? Or, do you look forward to serving your family? The people you serve may never realize it, but God knows your heart and motivation behind serving. Serving well requires humility. But don’t miss how we often get this wrong. Selfish ambition—we serve yet are focused on what we can gain from serving. Conceit—we serve yet are focused on how it makes us feel. If you serve from selfish ambition or conceit it means you’re serving to get glory rather than give glory. That’s empty; it’s glory that means nothing. Glory not pointed to God becomes pride. Paul says to serve in humility… Humility starts with Christ, who didn’t serve for selfish reasons, but only to point to His Father.

THE ENDURING LOVE OF A FATHER: The Beatles said that “all you need is love.” In some ways, they were correct. Love is a game-changer in our personal lives, but it’s also a vital element in healthy families. As a dad, you probably understand that your kids need to know and experience your love. You just might be a little fuzzy on how to make that happen. If so, we’ve got some tips for demonstrating your enduring love for your sons and daughters.

HOW TO SERVE OTHERS: When you go into a restaurant, you probably give bigger tips for better service. That’s because we all appreciate it when we’re served well. As men of God, we need to remember that Jesus ultimately came to serve—and that He expects us to follow His example. Serving others is the key to living with generosity and to avoiding the trap of self-centeredness. It also sets a powerful example for the next generation. If you’re looking for practical ways to add servanthood to your manhood survival gear, we have some ideas that can help.