Peanut butter and jelly. Bert and Ernie. Rock and Roll. Social media and hateful jabs. Some things just fit together like hand in glove. Some pairings aren’t so obvious. Proverbs has a ton of these side-by-sides, often contrasting the wise and the foolish. This one, though, makes me think. Proverbs 28:14 says, “Blessed is the one who fears the Lord always, but whoever hardens his heart will fall into calamity.” One conclusion to draw from this: he who fears the Lord will develop a soft heart. How many times have I approached fatherhood with my head only and left my heart out of it? Let’s dive into a healthy fear of the Lord and watch our heart soften toward those we love (and, those we don’t!).

Five essential Bible verses about marriage: Putting God’s Word into practice can set a marriage on fire in the best possible way. The LORD taught us that saying “I love you” isn’t nearly as impactful as showing our wives we love them (1 John 3:18). Actions will always speak louder than words.

Help your kids see and defend against spiritual attacks: Our kids will encounter the enemy, and we can help them be aware of and ready for those engagements. In this episode, we give you a practical metaphor for having this discussion with your sons and daughters. We can help them recognize when satan and the evils of the world are trying to get in.

In honor of heading back to school (with all its unique challenges this year, again!):

“The roots of education are bitter, but the fruit is sweet.” – Aristotle

“Describing her first day back in grade school after a long absence, a teacher said, It was like trying to hold 35 corks underwater at the same time.” – Mark Twain

'I am always ready to learn although I do not always like being taught.' – Winston Churchill Share on Twitter

Have a soft heart. When I played baseball as a kid, I liked to try and stretch a single into a double as often as possible. I frequently found myself skidding into second base headfirst. As a dad, that’s often my default setting: headfirst. Yet, some of my best fatherhood moments have happened when I led with my heart. I believe I’m more like Jesus when I do it that way.

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.