A Christian Man Leads

As we continue our series on why revival requires men and what it means to be a Christian man, it seems timely to also view our topic through the lens of the 4^th of July holiday that the United States just recently celebrated last week. While we Americans are truly blessed to live in arguably the freest nation in the world, it’s important to note the fact that the type of freedom that this refers to is political freedom. Spiritual freedom, however, is a completely different type of freedom and it would be wise for us to not confuse the two. For example, a person could live in the freest political nation in the world, yet still be spiritually shackled by the devil in a gripping sin. On the other hand, a person could live in one of the most politically oppressive nations in the world, yet be in joyful communion with the Lord. As a refresher from last week, three components of being a Christian man include his calling to protect, to lead, and to serve.  While none of these three require an environment of political freedom in order to exist, all three of them provide benefit and receive benefit from a foundation of spiritual freedom.

One area where this is most evident is where a Christian man is called to lead. Certainly this involves being a leader in the community, in the workplace, in the ball field, and in the church. After all, growth and production are natural desires for men, and we can go back to Adam to see that men have this built within their spiritual DNA. Nevertheless, where it’s most vital is actually where the Christian man has his highest calling: within the home. Certainly, serving in the church is crucial, however the church does not rise or fall on one man. As long as we are alive and able to lead our families, being a leader in the home is the one calling in our lives that no other man should need to fill. With us men having such a drive and passion to grow and create and produce, it’s not uncommon to find fulfillment in many interests outside of the home. While this in itself is not bad or morally wrong, it’s possible that such activities might create a habit of pulling men away from their spiritual post.

While this may not be as devastating as the spiritual abandonment that was discussed in last week’s post, a decrease in spiritual leadership does offer up more opportunities for Satan to creep in if the leader of the house is not on guard as often. Work may call the man to travel, and the church may request for the man to serve the community on a regular basis, however what is he doing then at home to ensure that proper systems are put in place for the healthy spiritual growth of his household? Yes, as a man you are called to provide for your family. Yes, as a man you are called to grow and protect and create. But the instant that these items prevent you from your higher calling of spiritually leading your family, then something is out of alignment and your spiritual freedom has been compromised.

Repentance is the turning away from sinful activities or behaviors that prevent us from having a relationship with Christ. Should we find ourselves in a scenario where we are not pursuing the Lord and leading our family, we must prayerfully consider which things are in our lives that are beginning to tighten their grip around our spiritual freedom. Only by freeing ourselves from these things can we truly have freedom and lead our families as God intended us to.

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