Recently, some friends of mine married and my gift to them both highlighted how the Bible defines the responsibilities and roles of a Godly husband. I told his wife that this was my present to her as well, for I could not think of a better gift to her than something that would contribute to making her man, a more Godly M.A.N.:

Mission Minded: Without a mission, a man’s impact is minimized by various distractions. However, when he knows his God ordained purposes, priorities and responsibilities, his contributions are maximized. The trouble is many men live out their lives never realizing their divine mission. As a result, they create their own and unfortunately, a man-defined mission, is one of vanity rather than victory (Proverbs 127:1-2). I know, because I was once one of those men. It wasn’t until I surrendered my life to God and allowed Jesus to be my Lord and first priority that my passion, profession and purpose became unified and my mission clear.

Aligns Ambitions: Our ambitions are aligned to our mission. Therefore, if we don’t know our divine mission, how can we expect to have divine ambitions? However, when we know our marching orders, the goals we aspire to propel our mission. It’s no longer just about us, but how we can reinvest our lives to better provide, protect, prepare and pastor others and those God has entrusted to us in order to bring Him the greatest glory (Acts 20:24).

Nourishes Needs: As our mission directs our ambitions, our actions begin to nourish the various needs God reveals to us (Titus 3:14). For when we become intentional, prayerful and focused on being all God has called us to be, families prosper, communities rebound, churches shine brightly with the Holy Spirit and the body of Christ marches boldly to work.

Application: “Loving & Leading” – 2 Corinthians 12:15
Since God is love, He empowers us to love others, and it is through this love, we lead effectively. Leadership is not abusive. It is does not promote fear and it does not intimidate. As more men discover God’s love, they can begin to love others and develop into the divine leaders of their homes, communities, churches and careers. It is through these “gateways”, our purpose and mission get fulfilled – pointing others to Jesus Christ. Then, by God’s grace, others discover their purpose, reinvest their gifts, realign their ambitions and eagerly nourish the needs God places around them.