IT''S MY JOB!

In the book of  Esther,  there's this little passage  that I don't remember reading before (which shocked me because I think I've read through the whole Bible - old age, I guess).  But it talked about women respecting their husbands - YES!  And then it talks about how men should  be the ruler of their household.

     Now, back  in my Bible Belt days, there was a lot of talk about this kind of  thing.  It usually went like this - "The man makes all the decisions in the house!  The woman just does whatever the huband says.  The husband is in charge and the wife just follows him."  A lot of the conversation put the man on top of a pedestal while the wife was left cleaning and providing food for that pedestal.

     I'm  not really about that!  In fact, as I read this today,  I wonder if God is trying to teach us something different; because in this passage it ends "in his own language."  I just got the sense after reading this morning that being "head of the household" just means (in the words of Coach T) "Do Your Job!"

      If your kid needs to learn a little humility - DO YOUR JOB!  If your family needs money - DO YOUR JOB!  If your wife needs more time from you - DO YOUR JOB!  If your house needs to be  cleaned - DO YOUR JOB!  If there's a tough decision that needs to  be  made about school or friends - DO YOUR JOB!  

     As a husband and a father, I think God is saying that our family is our responsibility.  If it needs something, DO IT!  Take that on yourself.   Does that mean the wife is not responsible for anything?  It doesn't really matter; because as the husband / father it's my responsibility to DO MY JOB!

RELATIONSHIPS

     It seems like a good goal, like a good word to focus on for 2014 - RELATIONSHIPS!  I'm praying really hard (ok, it's only been one day, but I prayed my butt off last night) that our neighborhood could somehow come together again, we'd find 3-4 really solid families to bond with, and the volunteers at the homeless shelter would be plentiful and inspiring.
     Those are all things outside.  Not outside like -15 degrees outside, but outside like not in my home.  This morning I read the story about how God created man and wanted to find a suitable helper for him. He came up with woman.
      It struck me that Adam's first relationship (after dogs and horses and stuff) was with woman.  His first relationship was with his wife.  In fact, before he could even concentrate on relationships with his neighbors, or hometown or homeless shelter, he had to focus on his relationship with his wife; because none of that stuff was even there.
     Hmmm, maybe there is something to that.  God said he needed a helper suitable for man.  He didn't create a drinking buddy, didn't create a guy to watch football with, didn't create some people to volunteer with - He created a woman, and more specifically, a wife.
      Maybe I should focus on my relationship with my wife….and let God take care of all that other stuff.