CityView Magazine - Fayetteville, NC
Issue link: http://www.epageflip.net/i/539524
18 | July/August 2015 BY DR. BILL BOYD Ask almost any man "Who is supposed to be the head of the home?" More than likely, they will tell you that it's the man. Most men take pride in being the "head of the household" whether they recognize it or not. Unfortunately, most of us have not clearly thought through the issues or the implications of that position philosophically or practically. T his pattern, very widely prac- ticed across many cultures actually is sourced in the Bible. God said that when He designed the family, He designed it with a singular head and that head is the man (Genesis 2:18, 3:16 & Ephesians 5:23). Now men, lest our chests begins to puff out a bit much, I'd like to suggest a pattern for what it takes to be a good leader. It has six components. e first component is e Plan. Nobody wants to follow a leader who doesn't know where they're going. One of the marks of a strong leader is he knows exactly where the ship is headed and how to get there. So, the husband should have a plan. Now, that doesn't mean that the plan is developed all by himself without input or help, but it does mean he is responsible for the de- velopment of a plan that will include a framework that will answer all the basic questions such as: who works, buying or renting a home, college savings plans, amount of stewardship to the church or how much money to save. You're probably thinking, "Wait a minute. You're telling me that as a hus- band I'm responsible to answer all those questions and have all those plans?" No, I'm saying they must all be answered and as the designated leader, you must secure the information and ulti- mately be responsible for each of those decisions. e second component is e At- mosphere. No one wants to feel like they're walking on "eggshells" or in an environment that seems "out of con- trol." And guess who is responsible for establishing the atmosphere in the home? e husband, because he's the leader. He sets the bar or the pattern by both his model and his actions. It's all part of being a good husband. e third is e Motivation. "Hus- bands love your wives as Christ loved the church" (Ephesians 5:25). Every decision and every plan must have her best interest at heart. Always. Easy? No! Optional? Never! And let me promise you, if she senses the decisions are for her best interest, it always goes down easier. faith The