The Bible says “For the eyes of the LORD run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to shew himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward him.…(2 Chronicles 16:9). Perfect here would mean those whose heart is following after his Word. It would also mean those with the qualities for the particular task at hand. There was something about Abraham’s heart that God loved, so Abraham, according to the scripture, was called a friend of God.

It meant therefore that when God planned to send his Son unto the earth and as a Father gave thought to an earthly family for his Son, he looked throughout the earth and determined that Abraham was perfect for the job. God was at that time establishing a family line through which his Son will eventually be born. He was at that point in choosing Abraham laying the root of the tree. The qualities and blessings of the root would be passed down throughout the generations to come. We can be sure therefore that Abraham was a special choice with fatherly qualities. After all, God told him that he (God) would make him a father of a multitude. The idea here is that God wants, indeed, longs to bless us and he looks in us for the qualities that he can bless, strengths that he can nurture and develop. The devil on the contrary looks for weaknesses by which he can pull us down if we will listen to him and give place to the devil.

Hence the reason that character is so important. Children would know our weaknesses but they need to see us live according to our strengths. They need examples of good character.

The scripture tells us the quality God saw in Abraham that God found attractive for the job. Concerning Abraham, God said, “For I know him, that he will command his children and his household after him, and they shall keep the way of the LORD, to do justice and judgment; that the LORD may bring upon Abraham that which he hath spoken of him” (Genesis 18:19). Abraham had weaknesses but he also had strengths and he looked away from his weaknesses and lived in his strengths. (He considered not the weakness of his own body – Romans 4:19) but that ability to consider not, was itself a strength, which means he overcame his weaknesses by his strengths.

Abraham taught Isaac obedience to God so that Isaac knew that the very blessings which he was to inherit were mainly because Abraham, his father, was willing to obey God.
 
Examples of obedience to God are among the greatest blessings that any parent, fathers in particular, can pass on to their children. And parental obedience causes blessings to come on the entire family, blessings which run through generations.

Marriage

When the time came that Isaac, Abraham’s son, should have a family of his own, Abraham was mindful of the fact that the call God had placed upon him would be fulfilled through his Son Isaac. Abraham was mindful that the Messiah would come through his generations. Jesus said, “Abraham rejoiced to see my day”. Abraham understood the need to protect his generations. He understood that individuals bring into relationships their blessings or curses, strengths and weaknesses. As a responsible father, not only to Isaac but to the generations to follow, he considered it important to determine the quality of persons that his son would marry.

While one may argue that it was the tradition of the times that fathers would choose a spouse for their children, we see clearly from the Scripture that Abraham was very specific as to the kind of individual his son should marry just as he was clear on the kind of person his son should not marry. He commanded his servant: “And I will make thee swear by the LORD, the God of heaven, and the God of the earth, that thou shalt not take a wife unto my son of the daughters of the Canaanites, among whom I dwell (Genesis 24:3)”
“But thou shalt go unto my country, and to my kindred, and take a wife unto my son Isaac.(Genesis 24:4)” Here he told his servant exactly where he should go to find a wife.

Further, while indeed it was the tradition of those times that parents would make a choice for their children, as to who they marry, that was not always so. Children, too, made their own choice against their parents’ wishes. In the Scripture we see Esau making a choice of spouse that grieved his parents. (Genesis 26:34, 35)”
While it may not be traditional in this day, to choose our children’s spouse, parents should have a definite interest in their children’s choice of a spouse. We need to teach our children just how to make right choices. In that regard, we would want to play our role in influencing such a choice.
Even in our day, it is more or less the poor who avoid influencing their children in their choice of mates. The rich who has an inheritance to preserve think otherwise.