Today, I was leaving for a road trip. It was stressful. I had a long drive ahead of me, some tight timing, and my wife woke up feeling awful. I wanted my eleven-year-old to be especially helpful while I was gone, so I gave him some pretty aggressive instructions just before I rolled out. I got a few hours down the road, and my wife had texted me. She said I’d been rude and harsh with him. He’d complied, but was sad all morning. And, you know what? She was right. Not “kinda” right, but 100% right. I called my son and apologized. I love it when my wife tells me when I’ve been hateful, too demanding or unkind to my boys. I don’t “like” it because I don’t like being that way. But, I no longer resist it. When she points out how I came across, I almost always assume she’s spot-on and I go into repent and repair mode. Gal 6:1 says that brothers should restore sinful people gently. Sometimes, my best brother is my own wife.

16 Anger Triggers For Dads (And What To Do About Them): Tired of living with constant anger? Expressing your anger may give you a temporary surge of feeling in control. However powerful you may feel in that moment, it’s not worth the guilt and shame of the fallout. The good news is anger is something you can overcome. God’s Holy Spirit inside us can lead us to peace and joy.

Romans 12: Taking Shape: If you’ve ever used a cookie cutter, then you know what the world wants to do to you. The broken and sinful spirit of this culture wants to shape us into its image. But as believers, we are called to a higher standard. Instead of being conformed to a failing system, we are challenged to be transformed into the likeness—the shape—of Christ. As we continue our study of Romans 12, we’ll zero in on verse 2 and learn how being transformed can help us become the men God created us to be.

“Courage is what it takes to stand up and speak; courage is also what it takes to sit down and listen”
– Winston Churchill

“Feedback is the breakfast of champions.”
– Ken Blanchard

“The way we respond to criticism pretty much depends on the way we respond to praise. If praise humbles us, then criticism will build us up. But if praise inflates us, then criticism will crush us; and both responses lead to our defeat.”
– Warren Wiersbe

“A leader arguably needs feedback more so than anyone else.”
– Jack Canfield

Be rebuke-able. I’ve learned to listen more and push back less when my wife gives me perspective on my behavior. She’s in my corner, is attuned to the Holy Spirit, and only wants the best for me. She deeply desires that I have great relationships with my boys – and others – and her counsel is something I cherish. Are you rebuke-able? Can you listen to the wisdom of those outside you? This week, see if you can grow in that arena. It’s like having relationship insurance that’s free for the taking.

Kent Evans
Author of Bring Your Hammer, co-founder of 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.