I have the privilege of being a father. It is one of the greatest things that has ever happened to me! I have a son named Jaxon, who is 20 months old, and I would like to share a few things that I have learned over 20 months of fatherhood.

You are the example that your kids will follow. I have realized that Jaxon enjoys doing the things that I do. If I am grilling, he wants to grill. If I am reading, he wants to read. If I am exercising, he wants to exercise. He wants to do what I am doing. Although that is exciting and awesome, it is also scary because he will most likely tend to make the mistakes that I do. It is a great opportunity but also a frightening responsibility to have him follow my example.

Time matters more than anything else. Even though Jaxon is only 20 months old, I have realized that time is the greatest gift that I can give him. I can give him a toy but what he wants is my time. He is happier playing with charcoal if I am with him then he is with any toy. He wants to be with me and spend time with me. I sometimes think that since I am providing for my son, then I am a good parent, but more than he needs things, he needs to be with me and wants me to give him my time.

I more fully understand the love of God. I believe that I am now able to better comprehend the love of God after becoming a father. Now that I have a son, I realize what love God must have had to send his son to die on the cross for our sins. He was willing to allow his son to die to save sinners like us. I don’t think I ever understood how great God’s love for us was until I had Jaxon.

That he is a sinner, I love my son a lot, but it is not very hard to see that he is a sinner and that he wants to do his thing and have things his way. The Bible says, “There is none righteous, no not one,” and I believe that is very true. My son needs to be saved, just like every other person on this planet.

There are probably many other things that I have learned or should have learned, but these are just a few things that my son has taught me.