“Go to the ant, thou sluggard; consider her ways, and be wise: Which having no guide, overseer, or ruler, Provideth her meat in the summer, and gathereth her food in the harvest.” (Proverbs 6: 6-8)
One of the primary roles of manhood and fatherhood is that of provider. My step-father exemplifies this godly characteristic better then anyone I know. Even when three children were grown and out of the house, he was still the primary provider for my mother, brother, sister, two cousins and my maternal grandparents. In order to provide for his family, he delivered papers, had a full time job and did odd jobs on the side. The amazing thing is that I have never once heard him complain. When I complement him on what a great provider he is for our family, he deflects my praise and says that any man would do the same. Upon reflection, I have to agree with him. A real man would do what he does. What saddens me is that when I look around, I see very few real men out there. Godly men, more than anyone else, should be setting the standard for providing for our families. We should be an example to the world, just as the church was. Of course, there are times of distress when a man loses his job or becomes disabled and is not able to provide for his family. These circumstances are opportunities for the church to show the love of Jesus. Christians must band together and help meet the needs of struggling families. Men may need help finding jobs or training for a new career (if their disabilities allow it). As godly men, we have a responsibility to provide for our family first and then for the household of faith. Let us follow the example of the ant and work diligently for our family.
No comments:
Post a Comment