“The mouth of the righteous is a fountain of life…” (Prov. 10:11). Let’s say I walked up to your wife or kids today and said, “If you had to use a water metaphor to describe your husband’s (dad’s) mouth, what would that be?” Fountain of life? Firehose of criticism? Flood of griping? Stagnant pond of ambivalence? A tsunami of sadness? Depending on the day, my wife and kids may use any of the above. But, consider this. If I want my mouth to be a fountain of life, it needs a good source. The source is not: me, my effort, or my brilliance. The source is God’s Word, stored up in my heart, so that what overflows from it is life-giving. Don’t just try to plug the flow of negative, but get to the source. Store it up, dad! Btw, for more mouth-watering metaphors, read the rest of Proverbs 10.

The best family movies: what dads need to know: Us dads must be mindful of what our kids watch. They can’t simply unsee something. So, when trying to make a good choice on family movie night, consider the films you used to watch as a kid. There will be several movies your kids have likely never even heard of, so it’ll be new to them. Plus, it’s fun to see how well (or not so well) a movie holds up over time.

Begin with the end in mind to aim our kids: Fatherhood is not a vending machine. We can’t control exactly where our kids end up. But dads, we certainly can aim them in the right direction. It’s tempting to focus on just helping our kids get good grades, become sports stars, and land high-paying jobs. But, we need to set a course for them to chase godliness and a fruitful spiritual life.

“Kind words can be short and easy to speak, but their echoes are truly endless.” – Mother Teresa

“Did I offer peace today? Did I bring a smile to someone’s face? Did I say words of healing? Did I let go of my anger and resentment? Did I forgive? Did I love? These are the real questions. I must trust that the little bit of love that I sow now will bear many fruits, here in this world and the life to come.” – Henri Nouwen

'Good words are worth much, and cost little.' – George Herbert Share on Twitter

Go speak life to someone. This week, I worked with a guy who’s one of my best buds. He’s one of those guys whose mouth really is a fountain of life. And, not because he’s always telling me what I want to hear. But, because he’s for me. He encourages, challenges, laughs, and gives me perspective. He’s a good friend. Go be “that guy” to someone in your life. And, if it feels SUPER awkward, know two things. First, that’s normal. Second, it means we’re not doing it often enough. Get after it, dad!

Make it a great week,

Kent Evans
Author of The Manhood Journey, co-founder of Manhood Journey and Father On Purpose.

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.