Most dads don’t wake up one morning and decide to wreck their families or abandon their faith. The dangers we face are usually quieter than that – subtle habits, slow drift, good intentions that go unchecked. These are the sins no one really warns us about because they don’t look like rebellion. They look like responsibility. Fatigue. Silence. Survival.
The problem is that what’s quiet can still be deadly. Over time, these unnoticed patterns shape our marriages, our children’s hearts, and our walk with God. Scripture reminds us that sin isn’t always about doing the wrong thing – it’s often about not doing the right thing (James 4:17). And for fathers, the cost of neglect is rarely paid by us alone.
This series isn’t about condemnation. It’s about awareness, repentance, and hope. My goal is to speak as a dad who has stumbled, learned, and is still learning. I hope you enjoy this series.
Passivity: When Good Men Drift Instead of Lead
Part 1 of Quiet Sins Dads Face
Passivity rarely feels like sin in the moment. It feels like patience. Like keeping the peace. Like waiting for the “right time.” I know this because I lived there – present, faithful on the surface, but hesitant to step forward spiritually or emotionally. I wasn’t leading badly; I just wasn’t really leading at all. It feels wrong to talk about this in the past tense – because I often still catch myself here.
The danger of passivity is that leadership never disappears – it just transfers. When dads don’t lead, something else will: culture, screens, peer pressure, or fear. Scripture doesn’t accuse us of evil motives, but it does confront our inaction. James 4:17 says, “So whoever knows the right thing to do and fails to do it, for him it is sin.” That verse forced me to ask uncomfortable questions – not about what I was doing wrong, but about what I was avoiding altogether.
God’s call to fathers is attentiveness and intentionality. Proverbs 27:23 tells us, “Know well the condition of your flocks, and give attention to your herds.” Leadership starts with paying attention – asking questions, initiating prayer, noticing hearts. Passivity doesn’t mean you don’t care; it often means you care but feel unqualified or tired. The good news is that God doesn’t require perfection – only obedience and presence.
Passivity isn’t a life sentence. It’s a warning light. Small, intentional steps – speaking up, praying aloud, initiating connection – can redirect your family’s spiritual momentum. If you don’t feel qualified or prepared for this – you are in great company. God doesn’t call the equipped – God equips those He calls.
Reflection Question:
Where might God be asking you to step forward instead of waiting?
Dadvotionals 