Now the sons of Eli were worthless men. They did not know the Lord.
(1 Samuel 2:12 ESV)
A permissive father says, “Whatever you want!” An abusive father says, “Whatever I want!” The passive father simply says, “Whatever.” He is not really engaged or connected. He watches his children hurt themselves and self-destruct, and he doesn’t even raise a voice of restraint. Almighty God put a whole story in the Bible so that we know what He thinks of passive dads, because those father wounds run very deep.