There are several ways to kill a plant. You can stab it, poke it, and tear it. Or, you can simply leave it alone, and without attention the planet will die. A plant requires care and attention for it to survive and thrive. This is exactly how Fathers work in the lives of their children. If they ignore their children they will wither, if a Father takes care of his children they will grow. Many children are dying not because their fathers have proactively attacked them. They are dying simply because their fathers have left them alone. Abandonment kills. A plant that is not watered dies. Many men and women are not being “watered” or cared for by their fathers.

There’s a story about a bachelor. He had plant in his home, but he would go away and not take proper care of it. He thought one cup of water was all his plant needed. So if he was away for five days, when he got back he would pour five days worth of water on the plant But because the soil had become so dry while he was away, when he poured the five cups of water on the plant, the water didn’t penetrate the soil, but would just run over the sides of the pot and spill onto the floor. To bring the plant back to life he had to pour a small amount of water into the soil a little at a time. He almost had to gradually drip the water onto the plant to revive it. This is how Fathers should treat their children. Instead of caring for their children infrequently pouring the emotional equivalent of five cups of water on them after not seeing them for a long time, men should care for their children daily. Many men think that five cups of care and attention will make their child grow normally. But sadly it doesn’t work like that. Like a plant deprived of water for a period of time, a child who lacks dedicated and consistent care and attention will grow hard and resist the efforts of their father. If a dad wants to have a healthy and positive impact on his child, he must learn to water the child with love and affirmation on a daily basis.