Some years later, however, after Jacob had moved into the land of Canaan, he apparently was unaware that his daughter Dinah had developed the dangerous habit of associating with the pagan Canaanites.a (Genesis 34:1) He also failed to act when he became aware of the presence of heathen paraphernalia in his household. At any rate, after the tragic rape of Dinah by a Canaanite, Jacob took decisive action. “Put away the foreign gods that are in the midst of you and cleanse yourselves,” he directed.​—Genesis 35:2-4.

Christian fathers must be vigilant when it comes to the spirituality of their families. If there are serious threats to the spiritual welfare of the family, such as the presence of immoral literature or unwholesome music in the home, they must take decisive action.