Quick! Name a TV dad that is portrayed as a positive role model! How ’bout in movies?
They say that 85% of men in prison grew up in fatherless homes. Role models can change the trajectory of a life. My dad certainly did for me.
As a format that is foundationally about beliefs and values, we have the opportunity to tell a better story about the role of men than what is typically on TV. (To prove my point I did a Google search for Best TV Dads and the list included Homer Simpson, Herman Munster, and Archie Bunker.)
My pal Brant Hansen has written a nifty little book called “The Men We Need: God’s Purpose for the Manly Man, the Avid Indoorsman, or Any Man Willing to Show Up.”
“The world needs real men, real bad. And there are all sorts of conflicting ideas and messages about what a ‘real man’ is (and is not). Is a real man one who hunts, loves sports, grills meat, fixes cars, and climbs mountains? Sure, sometimes. But that’s not really the point of being a man and it’s not the purpose for which men were made.”
My friends Carder and Rachelle at KSBJ in Houston celebrate moms and dads and friendships with “You’re awesome!” My friend John Hudson of Starline and Hudson at KLTY in Dallas-Ft. Worth regularly celebrates Hudson’s Heroes, affirming and sharing stories of first responders, EMTs, and others that serve.
Role models, you could say.
Amy Grant said, “Every once in a while, it’s good to think about what is really important in your life, and then see what aspect of your life actually reflects that. It’s almost like reminding yourself of who you are.”
“Sing something that matters,” Amy’s dad would often remind her.
On this Father’s Day maybe that’s good advice for our stations, too.
