For nearly every father that would be a priceless invitation.
There is perhaps no more cherished invitation for a father than when his child, his son, comes to him with an enthusiastic, “Daddy, let’s go do guy stuff!” It’s an invitation for companionship, adventure, and shared purpose with just Daddy and son. It doesn’t matter what the “guy thing” is—fishing, fixing a car, or tossing a ball, working with tools, doing yard and garden work, “let’s work on the truck”….the activities are nearly endless that can be done together. The value is not in the activity itself, but in the heart of the child who desires to be with their father. The activity is merely an invitation for something deeper: a chance to learn, to connect, and to feel their father’s love and approval. I know that from my own memories, things that my father was doing were usually more interesting than my mother’s duties. Maybe it was because I could play and still be with my father but when with my mother, I could “help” do the dishes or pick the berries or stem the green beans or shell the peas. I could help sweep the floor or dust. This week my attention was directed to the fact that we need a new countertop and sink in one of our bathrooms. That led me down memory lane and remembering that I have been cleaning that same sink ever since I was old enough to reach the faucets. It was my helping get ready for Sabbath job. Those things seemed more like work to me I suppose. It was more fun to ride on tractors and wagons. “Helping” in the haymow was generally playtime for us as kids until we were much, much older. Then it really was work and not nearly as much fun. For me, maybe it was the attraction of being Daddy’s little girl.
As I grew, I was proud to be the one that went hiking with my Daddy. He gave me the chance to learn to love the things he loved like camping and travel and reading and the love of rock hunting. And I determined to follow his example. Maybe my mother could have been a little bit envious of the relationship I had with my father. Sabbath afternoons going agate and crystal hunting was so fun and my mother did not enter into those activities. Helping my mother work on things for Sabbath School was fun but not as interesting. For me it maybe wasn’t a “let’s go do guy things”. Rather, it was in my thinking, it was a more “fun things” choice. I learned to appreciate doing both mom and dad stuff. I miss them both so much!
My husband has memories of “doing guy stuff” with his father, too. His memories of camping with his father and a group of kids, has given him wonderful memories. And the hours of going horseback riding with him have lasted for 70 some years. The love of tools and construction came from watching and doing things together with his father and following his lead was the beginning of how he was successful in employment.
We’ve also seen how harmful it can be when a young son does not have a father who wants “to go do guy stuff together.” So much is missing from the boy’s growing up years and those times and years can never be brought back in a perfect way. A substitute father can try to overcome what has been missing but there will be challenges.
We have been privileged to observe the needs of a young little one to have the need for doing things with his daddy! Spending time with Grandma is ok and fun but if Daddy is going out to work on a project with Grandpa, then Grandma’s feelings are not hurt when she takes second place to the “guy things.” Grandpa and Daddy use things like tractors and chainsaws and trailers and boats! They are so much more fun than mixers and measuring cups. And grandma can read stories, but Grandma’s knees keep her from getting down on the floor to play train! “Guy things” for a little boy also shows me that he has a wonderful relationship with his daddy and for that I am glad. I am reminded of the children’s song, “With Daddy in the family, Happy, happy home! And, with Mommy in the family—home is also happy! But most of all, with Jesus in the family—home will always be happy!
A father and son doing “guy things” is more than just an activity; it’s an affirmation of what the growing boy will have as his identity for a future grown-up young adult. The son, by imitating his father and learning his ways, grows into his own manhood. The father, in turn, affirms his son with his presence and words, creating a powerful bond together and an example of the bond God the Father wants with us as His children. As God’s children, when we seek him out, we are stepping more fully into identifying us as His own. Our Heavenly Father longs for me to spend time with Him, to come to Him with a heart that wants to connect. When I intentionally carve out time for prayer, reading Scripture, or even serving others, I am essentially saying, “Daddy God, let’s go do “guy stuff” with my Father up above.
The seemingly small moments between a father and child are a very important needed preparation for the challenges of life. A father teaches patience while they go fishing, resilience in life while camping and loving God’s nature book while hiking together, and responsibility while building a project or fixing something that is broken. He is equipping his son or daughter for the future and giving the child knowledge of Father God’s help for us to prepare for eternal life with Him. Our “guy things” with God do the same for you and me. Prayer, fellowship, and worship are not just pleasant pastimes; they are spiritual training for my/your journey ahead. God prepares us for life’s challenges by patiently working with us, giving us courage, and equipping us to love and serve others.
The phrase, “Daddy, let’s go do guy things,” is a simple invitation, yet it holds such a strong longing for connection and shared experience. It is a child’s way of saying, “Let me learn from you, be like you, and be with you.” This is a beautiful reflection of our relationship with our Heavenly Father, who also wants to spend quality time with us. I want to say, God, Let’s go do some God things together. Let me learn from you to be like you and I will always want to be with you, now and forever.
The activities of Daddy and son don’t matter as much as their shared experience. What a son learns, while together they are building a block tower or a race car or mowing the yard or vacuuming or…. (anything), or camping in the mountains, or going fishing is more than just fun or practicalness. He learns how to solve problems, persevere through challenges, and to trust that his father is there to love and guide. Just as an earthly father provides wisdom and guidance, our Heavenly Father offers to teach us and guide us in our own “guy things” of life. When we say to Him, “Daddy, let’s go do guy stuff/things,” we are inviting God into our daily life and its struggles. The most important lessons from our earthly fathers often come not from grand adventures, but from the simple, ordinary, teachable moments. Likewise, our Heavenly Father is present in the simple and ordinary moments of our lives. A broken engine or a leaky faucet can be a lesson in grace and repair together. We learn that things, and people, can be fixed when we trust the skilled hands of the one who knows how to repair them. We are broken, but God is the ultimate restorer. When we try an activity we’ve never done before, we are on equal footing with a new skill, learning alongside together. This mirrors our need to humbly surrender our pride and ambition to God and learn from him.
Fathers are called to lead their families with wisdom and integrity and to model a life of faith, prioritizing a relationship with God. In my family and case, our father provided a legacy that will echo for generations to come. A father’s influence and engagement are directly linked to positive social, emotional, and spiritual development in a child. I see it continuing as my kids and their cousins have children of their own and the influence that my family had as kids from our father continues as now our kids have kids of their own. The father’s legacy continues!
Our Heavenly Father’s love also shapes our perception of his love. He offers us acceptance, affection, and affirmation. A child who knows they are loved and accepted by their earthly father, no matter what they do or what they become, is much more likely to understand and accept the unconditional love of our Heavenly Father. As we go out into the day and do our “guy things,” remember to invite your Heavenly Father along.
The Bible shows us how this works and gives us all wise words to remember: At Jesus’s baptism, God’s voice from heaven declares, “You are my Son, whom I love; with you, I am well pleased” (Mark 1:11). Just as a proud father affirms his child, God affirmed his Son. When we spend time with God, we hear his affirmation of our identity in Christ. Paul tells us to “be imitators of God, as beloved children” (Ephesians 5:1). Our “guy things” with God—acts of kindness, forgiveness, and love—are our way of imitating our Heavenly Father and becoming more like Him.
The simple request of the young boy to “go do guy stuff” is a plea for intentional, undivided attention. It’s not about the specific activity, but about the companionship and shared experience. This mirrors our spiritual lives, where our Heavenly Father desires intentional time with us. A boy learns his value and identity by the way his father engages with him. Spending time together builds a foundation of trust, security, and love. In the same way, we learn our identity as children of God by spending time with our Heavenly Father. Just as Jesus modeled a life of dependence on the Father, He invites us to do the same through prayer and quiet reflection (John 5:19—“Very truly I tell you, the Son can do nothing by himself; he can do only what he sees his Father doing, because whatever the Father does the Son also does.”) I learned a father and daughter/child can just sit in comfortable silence, enjoying each other’s presence. In the same way, I can practice stillness and silence in God’s presence, trusting that he sees and knows all that I am.
The “guy stuff” and activities fathers and sons do together often become the chance for passing on wisdom, life skills, and character. A fishing trip is not just about catching fish; it’s about learning patience. Building a model car is not just about the finished product; it’s about persevering through difficulty. We can see parallels in these father/child experiences. When a father teaches his son a skill, he is passing on a legacy of wisdom and life lessons (Proverbs 22:6—”Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it”) in an earthly parallel compared to the spiritual. He is a mentor, guide, and role model (Proverbs 20:7—”The righteous man walks in his integrity; blessed are his children after him”.)
The “guy things” we do with God—serving others, studying Scripture, enduring hardship—are our opportunities for spiritual growth and maturity. Our Father equips us with the gifts and talents we need for the journey, and the challenges we face become lessons in trust in a spiritual parallel to the earthly one.
Whether a son’s experience with his earthly father is perfect or imperfect, his desire for his father’s presence points to a deeper human longing for the perfect love of God the Father and gives us glimpses of our Heavenly Father. An earthly father, though imperfect, is called to be a living, breathing reflection of who God is: a protector, provider, and leader (1 Timothy 5:8, Ephesians 6:4—Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.)
For those with imperfect father experiences, God offers a new entry point through his perfect love and grace (1 John 3:1— See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are.)
For those with loving earthly fathers, that relationship can be a steppingstone toward understanding God’s character.
The simple invitation “Daddy, let’s go do guy things/stuff” is a holy call. It is a reminder that being present and engaged with your children is part of your God-given role. Just as Paul mentored Timothy as a spiritual father, fathers have the privilege of mentoring their son and a chance to intentionally shape his character and faith.
The simple plea, “Daddy, let’s go do guy things,” is a precious invitation. For a son, even a daughter, it is a request for his or her father’s time, guidance, and companionship. For a dad, it’s an opportunity to intentionally invest in his child, teaching and bonding in a unique way. In the Bible, we see this dynamic reflected in God’s fatherly relationship with us, His children. The very best model of fatherhood is God himself. He is not a distant, hands-off parent. On the contrary, He is a “good, heavenly Father” who knows what we need even before we ask. Like a child eager to spend time with his dad, the Holy Spirit gives us the boldness to cry out, “Abba! Father!” (Galatians 4:6, ESV). He is always present and always invites me into spending time with Him. The invitation to “do guy things” with God is always open. He invites me to walk with Him, to learn from Him, and to be present with Him in my daily life. The prophet Jeremiah wrote, “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope” (Jeremiah 29:11, ESV). Just as a father plans a fishing trip or a camping adventure, my Heavenly Father is orchestrating the journey of my life, eager for me to join Him.
I’m so glad my Abba Daddy loves me!