Chad’s Challenge as a Father of Five: How Ephesians 6:4 Teaches Fathers Do Not Exasperate Their Children

Frank Wible
Sep 30
3 min read

Chad sat at the dinner table surrounded by the noise of five children talking over one another. The plates clattered, laughter turned into bickering, and his patience wore thin. As much as he loved his family, fatherhood sometimes felt overwhelming.

Surrounded by five children, Chad realized that fatherhood wasn’t just about providing—it was about guiding with patience and faith.

He knew that discipline mattered, but he often wrestled with the tension between being firm and being too harsh. His own father had ruled the house with an iron fist, and Chad had sworn never to repeat that pattern.

One night after losing his temper, he opened his Bible and came across Ephesians 6:4. Fathers, do not exasperate your children; instead, bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord. The words struck him. He realized he was slipping into the very habits he once hated.

The next morning, he apologized to his kids. Sitting them down, he admitted, “Dad hasn’t always been patient. But I want to lead you the way God calls me to.” His children were quiet, but he saw relief in their faces.

When Chad humbled himself and apologized, his children saw a father who truly wanted to lead them in the Lord.

Chad began making small changes. Instead of barking orders, he took time to explain why things mattered. When arguments broke out between siblings, he prayed with them before correcting. Slowly, the atmosphere in the home began to shift.

Evenings became opportunities for discipleship. Around the dinner table, he read short passages from Proverbs and asked each child what it meant to them. Sometimes their answers were silly, but other times they surprised him with wisdom beyond their years.

There were still hard days. Five children meant endless messes, endless noise, and endless testing of patience. But Ephesians 6:4 echoed in his mind, reminding him that his role was more than providing food and shelter—it was to provide spiritual direction.

His wife noticed the difference too. “You’re calmer,” she told him one night. “The kids are responding better because you’re leading with love.” Her encouragement reassured him that God’s Word was transforming not only him but their entire household.

Chad also started a weekly father-child outing. Sometimes it was fishing, sometimes ice cream, sometimes just a walk around the neighborhood. Those one-on-one moments became powerful times to listen, encourage, and plant seeds of faith.

He realized his children didn’t need perfection. They needed presence. They needed to see a father willing to admit mistakes, seek forgiveness, and live under God’s authority. That example spoke louder than any lecture.

As time passed, Chad’s home became a place where training and instruction weren’t burdensome but life-giving. His children began praying on their own, quoting Scripture, and showing kindness to each other.

When one of his sons asked, “Dad, will you always teach us about God?” Chad smiled and said, “As long as I live, I’ll point you to Him.”

Years later, when the kids grew older, they still remembered those small moments—the prayers at bedtime, the lessons at the dinner table, the times their dad chose patience over anger. Those memories shaped them more than Chad realized.

Looking back, Chad thanked God for Ephesians 6:4. It had saved him from repeating his father’s mistakes and had given him a blueprint to raise his children in faith. His story was proof that God’s Word equips men to lead their families with strength and grace.

What do you find most challenging about fatherhood?