This is the week we celebrate Father’s Day.

The question was once asked, “What is a father?”

A little boy answered, “A father is a person who has pictures in his wallet where he used to have money.”

Someone else had this definition: “Fathers make bets with insurance companies about who’ll live the longest.

Fathers are what give daughters away to other men who aren’t nearly good enough, so they can have grandchildren that are smarter than anybody’s.

But most unique, a father is a man who reflects the image of God and who makes it easier for his children to know their heavenly Father.”

Indeed, fathers are special people.

I believe the quality of a child’s relationship with his or her father is the most important influence in deciding how they will react to the world around them.

The Greek Philosopher, Socrates once said, “If I could get to the highest place in Athens, I would lift up my voice to say, ‘What mean ye, fellow citizens, that ye turn every stone to scrape wealth together, and take so little care of your children to whom ye must one day relinquish all?’”

That seems to be the problem with a lot of families in America today, we spend so much time on things that will pass away and we neglect the most important things in life.

I believe the call is going out, asking the question: Where are the men?

Where are those who will stand up for what is right even when it’s not popular?

Where are the husbands who will love their wives and stay faithful to them in the midst of a society that glorifies adultery and promiscuity?

Yes, God is still looking for a few good men!

Statistics show that nearly every man on Death Row either hates his father or never really knew him.

I believe the breakdown of the family is number one cause for many of the problems in society today.

Every child needs some kind of affirmation from his or her father in order to overcome the trials of life…whether it’s in a hug, a handshake, or a spoken word.

Dad, your children need to know that you love them, even if they don’t turn out quite the way you planned.

Rev. Doug Johnson is the senior pastor at Raven Assembly of God in Raven, Virginia.